To my Always, from your Forever
by OogieBoogie
Summary: I am Cedric Diggory's admirer. I tease him by sending him very scary, stalker-ish and freaky love notes. But the thing is, Cedric likes it. And he accepts the challenge of playing this Cat & Mouse game.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These bunch o' wizards belong to J.K. Rowling. This story's mine.

**Chapter One **

Cedric Diggory.

If that name was a spell, it would definitely wipe out the entire world's female population.

Imagine you have this girl you dislike. With just a yell of _CedricDiggory!_ and a flick of your wand, BOOM, dead she goes.

There's just something about Cedric Diggory. Something rare, something profound about his very existence.

While Muggles are spending money buying pheromones on eBay, and wizards and witches casting spells to make themselves more attractive to the opposite gender, this certain Hufflepuff boy seemed to be overflowing with it. When he smiles, he emanates this rather enticing aura.

If his aura was radioactive, he would shed all the clothes off the girls just by passing them. And they'd all feel helpless, and naked …

And when he's blushing and sweating after a game of Quidditch, it seems - let's not go there. His sweaty, smooth skin, his wet, wet hair … his … No really, let's not go there.

Anyways, every girl has to admit that he is indeed special, a rare species. There is not one girl who does not have a crush on this fellow.

After all, he is what dreams are made of. Or in my case, him smothered in chocolate is what makes my dreams.

Even boys found it impossible to hate him; he was just nice and popular.

I admit, I'm one of those girls whose eyes like to feast on him. If eyes could rape, I think mine would have shagged him stupid. But I knew that he would never be mine, so I just basically acknowledge his beautiful existence and sadly move on with my life.

I've never really spoken to Cedric Diggory. I've never as much 'accidentally' touched him or whatever. I've never accidentally tripped and crashed into his chest and sniffed the hell out of his shirt. I could count the times I actually caught his eyes across the table in the Great Hall. It was just that.

I was never really into writing love letters or admirer notes either. That was ... until I decided that I wanted to fool around.

_I was rushing to the Great Hall - famished. I wanted to eat a Cedric Diggory, but it was never on the menu. I was dying to get to the Slytherin table and I did not see who or what I was passing. _

_Bump._

_"Oh." That person turned around. "I'm sorry." He said with that mouth-watering smile._

_I looked up at him. It was Cedric Diggory, smiling his million dollar smile._

_Oh my God, shut up and kiss me now._

_"No, I am." I said with a Slytherin indifference, but my insides were going 'Oh my God, oh my fucking tomatoes.'_

_I walked to my table and sat down, facing his table. He looked out for me, and he happened to pick a spot that was opposite of me too. I caught his eyes but I pretended to be distracted by my friend._

I have been watching him ever since. I would carefully pick a spot where I could see his face clearly. I would smartly avoid his gaze, always pretending to be distracted. It was exciting at first, but it got monotonous, and I felt like I wanted more to myself than anybody else. I was sharing this same habit with thousands of other girls in this school, and I was displeased. I needed something more exciting.

So I decided to write him a love note.

_I see you._

That's what I wrote.

Okay, so it sounded scary and stalker-ish. But so what?

He wouldn't know who I am and it was all good. I could say whatever I wanted, tease him with words and I could just watch his reaction from where I sat.

I could just keep sending him scary notes like 'I want to rape you' and there's nothing he can do about it. I wanted to send him stalker notes and plus, I was bored.

I prepared my note one morning, and I performed a charm on it so that it would only deliver during lunch time. And Cedric wouldn't be able to do anything about finding out who it was from, because after he folds his reply, it'll disappear and deliver itself to my bedroom. It was a small charm I discovered in the library a couple of years back - and I must say it's good for secret admirer notes.

I practically skipped to the Great Hall during lunch, and after seizing my usual seat, I watched intently. As soon as food began to appear on the table, a piece of paper came flying from the entrance, and it landed gracefully on the table in front of Cedric Diggory.

"Another one." His friend said. "What's new?"

His friend grabbed the paper and stuffed it with the rest of the piles at the side, and my face fell.

"Oh my God." I muttered. "He's never going to read it that way."

Blast it. I should have known that there would be hundreds of notes from other girls as well. I grabbed my spoon angrily and stuffed chicken into my mouth.

Cedric grinned and appeared indifferent towards my letter. He glanced at it and started to eat. But before he put the spoon into his mouth, he stopped dead and stared at the black paper again. My head perked up, watching him.

He put his spoon down and grabbed the black note.

"You're going to start reading them now?" His friend asked. He didn't answer. Instead, he cocked his head sideways curiously and opened it. After reading those three words, his eyes dangerously darted forward, carefully looking for suspicious people. I pretended to munch my chicken while looking at his far right, but seeing him from the corner of my eyes. He kept looking for a few seconds, before grabbing his bag.

"You're actually replying to this one?!" Another friend of his exclaimed, stealing the note and reading it out loud. "'I see you'. I wonder who it is - eh? It hasn't got a name. Who is it from?"

"I have no idea." Cedric said nonchalantly, taking his quill and scribbling something on it.

"She sounds very mysterious."

"That's if it is a 'she'." Cedric said.

_Oh great, now he thinks I'm a man._

"Judging from the colour of the paper, I'd say it's not a very girly choice." His friend stated, glancing at the rest of the notes, which were either red or pink in colour.

Cedric proceeded to fold his reply. And as soon as he did, the note disappeared with a 'poof!' and he and his friends remained stoned. Cedric let out a huff of laughter after a few seconds. His friends nodded, clearly impressed.

"It's rather like a game of cat and mouse, isn't it?" One of his friends said.

Cedric smiled sideways, and kept in thought for a moment, staring at his friend in wonder. "Who is this person?"

I smiled to myself and finished my food. I quickly got up and walked with a friend towards the next class.

I wondered what he wrote in his reply.

_Boy, I love your style, love your smile,_

_Wish that you could be only mine,_

_Be only mine,_

_I can't let it go, I don't know what you're doin' to me,_

_You're so fine, ooh, you're so fine._

**Chapter Two sneak peek:**

**Oh Cedric, you're so yummy, I want to gobble you up like the wolf did to those piggies.**

"**What the hell?" Cedric laughed out loud after opening the note. "I swear, I'm going to find this girl."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

I practically skipped to the dungeons that day. I didn't even pay attention in classes, especially during Herbology - I spent the entire hour staring at the back of Cedric's head and looking away when he turns around to talk to his friend.

Draco Malfoy was in the common room, gazing lazily at the ceiling, with Panties Parkinson fawning over him.

"Draco, my darling~~ has anyone ever told you that you have a very cute nose?" She screeched.

"Hmph." Draco said a bit too grumpily.

I walked in and Draco looked up.

"Hey, Zia." He called.  
"Yep?" I said impatiently.

"I overheard Cedric Diggory talking about you today."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Wha -?"

Shit. Did he found out?

"Yeah, he said something about 'I didn't know she was in the same class.'"

"Oh." I said with relief, but at the same time happy that he actually remember who I was.

Oh my God, he remembered!

"Which reminds me ..." I ran up to the girls' dorm as quickly as possible and found a black note on my bed. I gleefully took it and tore it open.

_Um, okay? Care to tell me who you are?_

_-Cedric_

"Of course not!" I squealed and guwaffed dorkily. I took out my quill and started to think of an answer, with a brand new note.

"Hey, Zi, what are you doing?" My dorm mate, and my best friend Anita sat next to my bed.

"Oh, just ... replying to a note ..." I said.

"Wow, you have a secret admirer?"

"Of course not, I'm replying to the person I admire."

"Who?" She said excitedly.

"Cedric Diggory."

Silence. And a loud thump.

She apparently dropped her bag and her jaw.

"Oh. My. God."

I gave her a cheeky smile, and she just stood there, gawking.

"You like him?"  
"That's got to be the understatement of the year. Who doesn't?"

"But - but - he actually replied to you!"

"That's because I didn't put my name in my note."

"That is so ... I don't know!" She said smiling from ear to ear. "He is so interested! Otherwise he wouldn't! All the girls have tried, but he never actually replied to them. The only thing he does is find them and let them know that he's thankful, but he can't return their feelings."

An idea came to my mind.

_No, I'm afraid I won't. Because ... anonymity is the new sexy. And so are you._

Anita looked at my note, gasped and slapped me on the back.

"You aren't really sending that, are you?"

"Yeah, I am. So what? He won't know it's me anyway." I folded the note and performed the same spell on it.

I grabbed the previous note from him and stared at his handwriting. He had a very neat, cursive handwriting - nothing messy and haphazard like mine.

"That is so cool, I can't wait for another reply from him!" She said excitedly. "How come you never told me?"

"I was going to, I just started today."

"Wow, you started today and you've already got a reply!"

"Yeah, well ... let's hope the luck remains."

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Lunch time the next day.

The note flew from the entrance again, and Anita and I watched intently as it landed on his lap this time.

His lips formed into a knowing smile when he glanced at it, and he took it into his delicious fingers and opened it.

I watched as his lips read 'No, I'm afraid I won't. Because ... anonymity is the new sexy. And so are you'. His smile grew bigger at the last sentence, accompanied by an arch of his regal eyebrow and a slight tilt of his head.

"Oh shit, he so likes that reply." Anita whispered to me, slapping me gently on the arm.

"Men." I agreed, grinning myself.

Cedric took out his quill and started on his reply, thinking as he wrote. He folded his reply and it disappeared again.  
"Well, that's his reply! And I can't wait to get upstairs." I said.

"Let's go!" Anita grabbed me by the arm and then pulled me up.  
"What, now? But we have Potions next."  
"Yes, and we have enough time!"

I obliged and got pulled. I don't know whether something came over me, or I was too happy to get such a reaction from Cedric Diggory, but as I passed his table, and he looked up - I sent him a smile. Not the full-set-of-teeth smile, just a simple, friendly smile.

And my head went, "What the?!" at the smile I was giving him.

He sent me a confused look at first, but then smiled in return.

Why did he look so confused? Was I - oh yeah, I remember. I knocked into him and was totally rude. He must've thought I was a grouchy git.

A grouchy git who was giving him a smile. Yeah, that'd be weird to me too.

"Oh my God." I said through gritted teeth after I looked away.

Anita practically raced me to the dorm and stood beside my bed, hopping excitedly.

_Ha ha, okay, strange person. Since you're acting so mysterious, I think you've caught my interest. So let's say you give me a clue. What house?_

_-Cedric_

I caught his interest! Wow! The best thing I've ever done in my entire life.

"You know, there's a simpler spell than the one you're using. You just use this spell and it will deliver itself to the person as soon as you finish writing." Anita the brainiac said.

My eyes gleamed with happiness.

"Let's say it's like ... a wizard's way of texting, instead of using a cell phone."

"Teach me?" I asked. I certainly knew when I wanted to use this spell.

During Potions. Potions with Hufflepuff.

Anita and I were sitting at the back row, and Cedric sat somewhere in the middle. I could see every single juicy detail of him, and I liked it.

Oooh.

When Snape was writing something on the blackboard, I took the chance to take out the note and scribbled 'Slytherin' on it.

I folded it and performed the spell Anita just taught me. And in just a jiffy, the note appeared out of nowhere on Cedric's table. Cedric looked a bit surprised to see it, because it would only arrive around lunch time. But he took it and read it.

And as soon as he read it, he violently straightened his back and looked around wildly.

"Oh, shit, he's searching for you." Anita giggled. "Want to raise your hand to signal?"

I elbowed Anita. "No, you prat, of course not!"

Cedric was looking at our row now, and figured nobody was suspicious there and continued to the other row. And in the middle of looking, he wrote a reply. It disappeared and appeared on my table. I violently snatched it away before his eyes swept across our tables again, and my heart leapt madly.

"That was close."

_Where are you sitting? Tell me. I want to see you._

My heart skipped a million beats per second at his reply. That was the sexiest line ever.

"WOW." Anita gasped.

I was smiling broadly again, and I thought of a reply.

_I will tell you in time. But for now, let me watch you._

It sounded scary and freaky, but again, who cares? It arrived on his table and from the look on his face, he was a bit uncomfortable - knowing that somebody was watching him right now.

He sounded a bit child-like and petulant with his next reply, which was: _When? Are you planning to keep me guessing forever?_

And I said: _Of course not, you sexy beast. I will let you know, let's say ... after our finals this year._

Cedric: _Won't you give me hints and clues along the way?_

Me: _I shall only answer what I feel should be answered._

The situation was flipped. He was becoming the persistent one, and I was becoming the one avoiding. Weird.

Cedric: _You're not a man, are you?_

"See, I told you he's doubting that I'm a girl." I whispered to Anita, who shrugged. It was nothing big, since most of the guys I know treat me like a guy instead of a girl.

Me: _Would you prefer it if I was?_

And his reply was immensely fast.

Cedric: _Merlin, of course not! Thank God you aren't._

Me: _I wish I was though, it'd be easier to rape you. How does shagging against the wall sound to you?_

This time he took longer.

Cedric: _You're nuts, you know that?_

Me: _Yeah, nuts for you, Cedric Diggory_.

We didn't continue after that, but for all that's worth, I saw him smile at it and stuff the paper into his pocket.

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I watched Cedric that night during dinner. I watched as he happily joked and laughed with his friends - giving out his illegally arousing pheromones. And it made my hand itch to give him another note.

"Do it." Anita pushed.

Yes, he looked thoroughly delicious, and he gave 'edible' a whole new meaning.

Oooh, kinkay.

_Oh Cedric, you're so yummy, I want to gobble you up like the wolf did to those piggies._

I folded it and it appeared right in front of him.

He shook his head and smiled.

"What the hell?" Cedric laughed out loud after opening the note. "I swear, I'm going to find this girl."

My heart skipped again, and my ears became hot as I forced food into my mouth.

He's gonna find me he's gonna find me he's gonna find me oh my god oh my god ... why am I so excited?!

"You hear that babe?" Anita nudged me. "He's hunting. He's hunting for you."

That made my stomach do a three-hundred-sixty-degree flip.

Wow.

Hunt me! Hunt me! Search me!

"Hey, I think we should go." Anita said. "Let's finish our homeworks."

"Yeah you're right." I stood up and made my way to the entrance.

"Hey." Somebody called from behind.

I turned around.

Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God.

It was Cedric Diggory. It was Cedric Diggory. It was Cedric Diggory. It was Cedric Diggory. It was Cedric Diggory. It was Cedric Diggory.

Oh my fucking oranges.

My insides were in a mess, but I managed to keep a straight face.

"Y-yeah? Me?"

"Yes, you." He grinned.

Oh my God. Does he know?! HOW?!

"Umm?" I was getting more paranoid.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist - I don't think we've ever been properly introduced."

"Wha - wh? The heck is wha?"

"You know, since that day we bumped into each other -"

"Oh yeah! Oh!" Now I sounded too hyper.

"So ... yeah, I just wanted to -"

"I'd rather we skip the formalities." I scratched my nose.

"I'd rather we not." He smiled and held out his hand.

Oh, my fuck.

Is that mine? Can I really take it? Honest?

"I'm Cedric Diggory." He said sexily.

No shit, Sherlock!

"Hi, Cedric." I slurred his name, and the way his name slid off gave myself goosebumps. "I'm Zia."

I took his hand and shook it.

So warm, so ...

It was like orgasm on the hands.

I wished to pull him and give him a kiss, but I couldn't ...

"Nice to meet you." He said.

"Orga - gahh, I mean, nice to meet you too."

And we just stood there.

"So, I, uh, gotta go and finish my homework, so ... so ... see you around?"

He flashed his smile again. "Yeah, sure. Why not."

"Excellent." I smiled, and then walked away - controlling the way I walk, and realizing that I was walking like a robot.

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Before bed, I sent him another note.

_Goodnight Cedric, I saw you today, but I'll meet you in my dreams tonight._

**Chapter Three sneak peek:**

**"So, what's new?" I asked him.**

**"Well - there's this freaky person."**

**My heart skipped a beat.**

**"O-oh?"**

**"Yeah, it's been a week or so ... said she's my secret admirer and she's kind of, well, stalking me."**

**"Any clues?" I said nervously.**

**"No, not yet. I'm digging."**

**Yeah, and I dig you, baby!**

**"Oh ... wow. What's she said?"  
"Loads of things, actually. But last night she said she saw me yesterday, but she'll be meeting me in her dreams. Weird, huh? I wonder who she is though."**

**It's me!!!**

Reviews 333


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the reviews *hearts you* !**

**Chapter Three**

_Damn, Sugar, settle down. I'm diabetic._

Cedric choked on his soup that morning after reading that. He smiled ear to ear, even as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

He looked around too see whether anybody saw him choke, but it was too late - the girl army saw it, and they started screeching and squealing because of his cuteness.

I smiled to myself, liking very much that he enjoyed that compliment very well.

"So, how did his hand feel like again?" Anita said, batting her eyelashes.

"Heavenly." I sighed heavily, looking down at my empty plate.

"Until when are you going to continue doing this?"

"I've no idea. I've got nothing planned. I suppose I'll just remain his number one fan, providing that he doesn't get bored of the notes I send him."

"Honey, he won't." She winked.

I grinned mischievously. "Good."

"And now we need to go for Herbology." She patted my arm and stood up. I followed suit and walked behind her.

"So are you going to watch the match tomorrow? It's Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw." Anita said.

"I don't know, Marcus is probably going to ask us to practice for the next match, but we'll see."

I, somehow physically unfit to do sports, managed to land myself in the Slytherin Quidditch team as Beater.

Sometimes I wondered what I was doing there.

"Well, your Sugar will be there." Anita teased.

"I know." I guwaffed. "Let's see, I don't want to get on high just by seeing him."

"Oh shit, I forgot to get my textbook." Anita slapped her forehead. "You go ahead, yeah? I'll be right with you."

"Okay." I said a bit too awkwardly.

It was a funny feeling - after all these years of doing practically everything with Anita by my side, it feels weird to walk to class on certain occassions. I walked on, inwardly talking to myself.

"Zia." Someone called out gently, next to me.

I turned.

Oh, my God.

The Archangel of Seduction and Fallen Demon of Temptations was right in front of me.

"Cedric." I replied immediately out of reflex, a bit in a questioning tone.

"How are you this morning?"

"Good, good!" I said a bit too enthusiastically. Omigod, was this called Sugar Rush? "And yourself?"

"Ecstatic." He smiled. Something inside me snapped.

What the ... Cedric, that word wasn't supposed to sound sexy.

"Mind if I walk to class with you?" He asked.

"No, it's aight."

He nodded and smiled.

"So, what's new?" I asked him.

You got another stalker note this morning, didn't you?!

"Well - there's this freaky person."

My heart skipped a beat.

"O-oh?"

"Yeah, it's been a week or so ... said she's my secret admirer and she's kind of, well, stalking me."

"Any clues?" I said nervously.

"No, not yet. I'm digging."

Yeah, and I dig you, baby!

"Oh ... wow. What's she said?"

"Loads of things, actually. But last night she said she saw me yesterday, but she'll be meeting me in her dreams. Weird, huh? I wonder who she is though."

It's me!!!

Me, me, me!!!

"You what?" He turned and smiled at me.

Oh, **SHIT**. Did I seriously say that out loud?!

"Said what out loud?" He smiled more in confusion.

"Eh, no ... I mean the ... the ... it's me, who is also wondering who she is ... ha ha ..." I said, feeling myself turn cold and sweaty.

Fuck.

"Oh, I thought you said you were my secret admirer."

I laughed hard. Too hard, maybe.

"No." I said calmly, careful not to overreact and create suspicion.

"She must be watching me now, that's what she usually does, she says."

Hell yes, I am watching you now. I'm looking straight into your eyes.

"Isn't that a bit creepy?" I said.

"Well, I suppose it is, a little. But at the same time it's a nice feeling. I'm glad someone notices."

What the, is he oblivious - blind, or both? Can't he see that half the world's female population is crying their eyes out at night because he exists?!

"Careful, make sure she isn't the type to stalk you at night with a knife and all, saying 'I love you, I kill you' or 'if I can't have you, nobody else will'."

He laughed loudly.

"I don't think she's the type."

"You can never be too sure." I winked at him.

Then it sunk in.

Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad. Omagad.

I'm actually talking to Cedric Diggory. I'm actually talking to Cedric Diggory. I'm actually talking to Cedric Diggory. I'm actually talking to Cedric Diggory.

We were talking as if we've been friends for ages, and that made me want to slap myself silly.

But at the same time it made me feel nice and warm, and all comfortable.

I was feeling glad that he was comfortable around me, and that the conversation didn't die off even as we reached the greenhouse.

"I can't help but feel curious, but Cedric ..." I started.

"Yes?"

"Why be friends with me?" I smiled politely. "It's kind of odd that you started to talk to me and all."

"Odd? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as aloof or edgy or even arrogant or anything -" He said sincerely, looking like he'd be upset if he knew that I was judging him like that.

"No, no! Of course not, I'm just curious is all. Don't worry."

"Oh. Well, that's good." And his bright and scrumptous smile returned to his face again.

"So?"

He stared at me.

"Oh, oh yeah." He remembered. "Well ..." He shrugged and shook his head lightly. "That's one question I myself have no answer to." Then he grinned.

"Oh?" I said.

Weird.

I was expecting the cliche 'I thought it'd be fun to get to know you' or something.

But I guess Cedric Diggory isn't cliche. He is _the_ Cedric Diggory.

And if he actually said that, I'd say "Oh yeah, Cedric. Fun. You think I'm fun? That's good ... Do you want to know what I do for fun? I send you stalker notes. Maybe if you want, you can join me sometimes? Yeah, we can spend hours composing notes and send them to you. FUN!"

"The proper question should be asking is, 'Why not?'" He smiled again.

Good God, boy, stop smiling or you'll seriously damage everybody's eyesight. You are illegally radiant.

But what he said made me feel all warm and fuzzy again.

"Good morning students." Professor Sprout bellowed. "To start off today's class, I want the Slytherins here, and the Hufflepuffs over there." She pointed the directions.

"So, see you around." I said, turning to walk away and seeing Anita come through the entrance.

"The match tomorrow ... Will you be there?" Cedric asked. I turned around again. "Will you come to watch my team's match against Ravenclaw?"

"I, err, well, I suppose so?"

"Good." He nodded, and his next sentence sounded a bit child-like, in a selfish-but-cute way. "I'd like you to support me." He laced that sentence with a flash of his radiant roman god smile, and that was the final blow.

He could melt even the icebergs at the poles.

"Y-yeah. Sure." I said. "I've always supported Hufflepuffs anyways."

He nodded and gave me one more smile, as if he wanted to overkill me. "I'll be seeing you around."

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"Ugh, Cho Chang." Anita grimaced at the figure that just stepped into the field.

"Oh yeah, she's Ravenclaw's seeker." I said.

Everybody seemed to go all goo-goo for Chang, including Harry Potter himself.

She liked the attention as well, and there were rumours that she was being all special for Cedric now.

I've never really liked her anyways, but I try to act neutral.

Anita's worse - she said she feels like slapping that 'thing' whenever she sees her.

"And now, there's Cedric!" She nudged me, and I saw Cedric walk to his teammates and warmed up.

"Maybe we should figure out a nickname for him. So that the rest won't know what we're talking about." I suggested, staring at Cedric.

"Criggy." She suggested.

"Caligraphy." I said dumbly.

Anita stared at me.

"Caligraphy's fine. I mean, people won't wonder why you're obsessing over caligraphy - and of course, since you're practicing it a lot for him."

I grinned. "But Caligraphy sounds ridiculous."

"Who cares?"

The match went on pretty fine. And Cedric was, well, pretty fine too.

The Hufflepuffs were already leading by 60 points before Cedric caught the snitch, ahead of Cho Chang.

The Hufflepuffs were cheering madly as their prince scored the winning point and they began to burst into the field, congratulating the team.

Well, the next match was against my team - and I couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of playing with Cedric.

Omagad.

We both waited for the stadium to empty before leaving, we didn't want to get caught in the jam.

But as we walked to the entrance, Cedric and Cho Chang were there, absorbed in deep conversation.

Cho was talking enthusiastically. "Yeah, yeah, I was thinking the exact -"

"Hello, stranger." Cedric called.

"Hey."

I walked up to him. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. I'll be playing against you in the next match though, so I'd better watch out."

"No, no, I should watch out." I said. "You were brilliant."

Cho said nothing the whole time. She only smiled when Cedric talked and looked at him in a way ... in a way that makes you feel that she wanted him to look at her, be mesmerized by her, to notice her amazing features and all.

He chuckled at my comment.

"Oh, I'm sorry, forgive my manners." He turned to Cho. "This is Cho Chang, and this is Zia."

I stared at her for a moment. Immediately that Hall and Oates' song came to mind.

_Oh here she comes_

_Watch out boy she'll chew you up_

_Oh here she comes_

_She's a maneater_

_I wouldn't if I were you_

_I know what she can do_

_She's deadly man, and she could really rip your world apart_

_Mind over matter_

_The beauty is there but a beast is in the heart_

"Hello, there." She said in a cute voice, holding out her perfect, feminine fingers.

"Hi, Cho." I shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

She smiled.

"And this is my friend, Anita." I properly introduced her to Cedric and Cho.

"Hello, Anita." He said warmly with a friendly smile. Anita returned the gesture and shook his head, but only gave a prompt and plastic smile to Cho.

Anita quickly whispered something in my ears after she shook Cho's hand.

"I don't like that girl."

"I know." I whispered back, with a smile.

"So we'd better head back, the weather's going to get bad." Cedric suggested.

"Yeah, sure." Cho said.

"Let's go, Zi." Cedric said, walking with Cho first.

"Okay."

Cho looked back at me, giving me a smile - but I felt like that smile meant the wrong way. She then turned around and flipped her gorgeous, long black hair.

Sheesh.

I hate you, tra la la la, I hate you.

**Chapter Four sneak peek:**

**"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me this Saturday?" He asked.**

Reviews please! :D


	4. Chapter 4

*throws a party for reviewers*

**Chapter Four**

"So, getting lovebugs from Diggory, I see?" Malfoy whispered next to my ears as I composed the next note for Cedric. I quickly snatched it away.

"Knock it off, Draco." I hissed.

"Oh, come on, don't think I didn't notice the prolonged glances you took every now and then whenever he's around." He cooed.

I glared at him and he smirked. But my lips gave into a grin.

TEE HEE!

"Shut up." I shoved his face away.

"I also know ..." He sat opposite me and next to Anita. "That he has been receiving very ... intriguing black notes." He glanced to the person next to him and asked whether the plate was taken. He then proceeded to pile food into it.

One thing about Draco, the clumsiest actions he made looked graceful.

I suppose it's a pureblood thing.

"How do you know anyway?" Anita asked.

"Because, my dear cousin, I see everything." He answered, and I silently hoped that he couldn't see my mismatched green bra and red panties.

Oh yeah, Anita's cousins with Draco. Never bothered to find out how.

"And I expect you to shut up about it." Anita warned.

"What do you take me for? Do you think I'm some pompous, nosey, a blabbermouth and an arrogant fellow?" He said.

Anita raised her eyebrow in a Uh-yeah? look, and Draco feigned a hurt look.

"So what's our next class?" I asked.

"It's Charms, but we have another hour until that."

"Fancy a walk?" I asked.

We were walking around the front garden of the castle, talking - when we saw Cho and her gang pass by.

"Hi Zia, Anita." She said cheerfully.

"Right, hi." Anita said with a fake smile. I waved at her, silently nudging Anita in the ribs.

"She so likes Caligraphy." Anita said after we passed her, her friends going 'did you just smile at the Slytherins?'.

"Yeah, I know."

Speak of the devil, Cedric was there, crowded by his friends and laughing heartily.

Anita and I decided to choose a corner and sat down, continuing our talk on Cho.

"I mean, who does she think she is? I mean, sure she's cute and all - but hello!"

I nodded in understanding, and I began to fold the black note a couple of times.

"- And, and, all the guys are going nuts over her! Let's hope Caligraphy doesn't fall for her, because I've heard that she's got her eyes on him."

"Really." I said, still intently folding the note.

"Yeah! Her, flipping her hair, doing that 'cute' look, ARGH! I feel like locking her up in the girl's toilet forever. She'll be good company for Moaning Myrtle - or probably curse that the fleas of a thousand camels will infest her armpits - what are you doing anyway?"

"This, and it's all done." I displayed the note - which was now in the form of a paper dragon in my palm. "But you shouldn't worry, I think you're prettier than her."

"That's cool. And thanks, babe, I know." We both grinned. "That's very good." She pointed at the dragon.

"Yeah?" I said happily, eyeing the small dragon. I turned my head to take a good look at Cedric before performing the charm. This time I didn't make it disappear, instead I made it fly around haphazardly around the castle garden before heading straight to him.

He, who was nodding and listening to his friends, suddenly got his attention caught by the paper dragon that was now making its way to him a few metres away. He stepped forward and held out his hands into the air, ready to welcome it.

Everybody watched as the dragon slowly decreased in speed, and gently landed in his hands.

He slowly opened it. And he smiled.

He stuffed the note into his pocket and walked back to his friends, who were busy asking him whether it was 'her' or 'it' again.

_Cedric Diggory, you are my 24/7 Heaven._

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Christmas was just around the corner, and it had already begun to snow.

Anita and I were at our usual place, the Great Hall, finishing our homework which was due the next day.

"Oh, yeah. There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend." Anita said, tickling her nose with her quill.

"Let's go, I haven't been there in ages. I want to get some candy."

Anita grinned and looked to her left.

"Speaking of candies, here's one coming our way." She giggled.

"Who?" I lifted my head and saw Cedric walk to our table.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Hello." Anita said, still giggling.

"Hi." I said casually.

What's up, gorgeous?

"What are you guys up to?"

"Nothing much, just finishing up our Charms essay. You?" I said, wondering why Cedric was alone, and not with his usual crowd of friends.

"Oh, well, I just dropped by to say hi. And I was wondering if ..."

"Yeah?"

"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me this Saturday?" He asked.

Oh, shit. I think my heart just burst.

"Sure ... but can Anita come with us?" I said hastily.

"Of course, if you want." Cedric beamed at Anita.

"Oh, I would love to, but I ..." She smiled, and I shot her a death glare. "I ... I'm going with Draco!"

"HUH?" I howled.

"Yeah, right, Draco?" She pulled Draco, who was busy talking, by the arm.

"Huh, what?"

"I'm going with you to Hogsmeade this Saturday, am I not?" She said.

He first looked at Cedric, then at me, then back at Cedric. "Yes." He said promptly.

Oh my God.

I was so going to kill those two blasted twits.

"Oh, well, that's okay. I'll see you there, yeah?" He nodded.

"Y-yeah, sure." I said dumbly.

"Great." He smiled and walked to his table.

I immediately turned to the two prats, glaring.

"What the hell?!"

Draco grinned and continued his conversation while Anita gave me a coy look.

"Come on, you don't want me interrupting your sweet, sweet time with Caligraphy, do you?"

"YES! It's so, oh my god, I don't know!" I was turning red by the minute. "I hate you!"

I wouldn't know what to say, how to act, god, I wouldn't even know what to wear!

"You know, I saw Cho watching." Anita said grimly.

"Was she?"

"Yeah, all the time. Bet she wanted to kill you when Cedric talked to you."

"Oh come on, it was nothing."

"You know what?" Anita paused. "I think Cedric likes you."

"What the - NO!" I practically howled like a wolf, and turned tomato red. "No way!"

"Yes way. I mean, hasn't he been paying a lot of attention to you lately?" She winked.

"That's just - just ..."

Then it struck me.

WHY did he start talking to me in the first place anyway? He did say that it was something he himself couldn't answer.

It was sudden, and ...

"Don't jump to conclusions." I said. "He just asked me to go with him that's all."

"Uh-huh?" She grinned at me.

"He asked you to go too!"

"That's because you asked me to go, he was hoping I'd say no, I know it."

"If he was, he would have asked me when I was ALONE."

"Well you're never alone, you're always with me, aren't you? So that's why, he was just being nice."

"But -"  
"That's what Cedric is, honey, he is _nice_."

"Then he was just being nice when he asked me." I said stubbornly.

"Well you don't see him asking every other girl, do you?" She said.

I shut up.

Please, don't get my hopes up.

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Saturday came flying by like diarrhea. Unstoppable.

I woke up that morning feeling like a million bucks, feeling like doing the cha-cha with a random cat.

I couldn't shower properly because I was laughing, and everytime I did would accidentally swallow water.

I was totally making a fool out of myself when I put my blouse on, and I felt a little breezy around the chest area. I wondered why for a moment, but then I realized that I had somehow forgotten to put on my bra before the blouse.

"Shit, oh shit, oh shit." I shook my head.

"Chill, Zi. I mean ... yeah, chill." She looked at me in amusement.

"I can't chill ... I'm going to Hogsmeade with someone who's hotter than hell. Fucking turnips." I said nervously.

"Come here." She put my scarf around my neck and patted it. "You look gorgeous."

I 'pfft'ed and grinned before walking out the door with her. She, Draco and I walked together to Hogsmeade.

I kept breathing heavily and rubbing my palms together, looking around anxiously.

"Are you cold?" Draco asked.

"No, she's just nervous." Anita chuckled.

"Why - oh yes, I remember. That pretty boy Diggory. You've got yourself a date with him." He said.

"It's not a date. It's just ... going around together."

They mmhmm-ed together.

Cedric was already waiting near Honeydukes, him looking very cute with his hair covered with snowflakes, and his cheeks flushed.

"Hello." He smiled.

"Hello." I said nervously, as I felt Anita and Draco leave my presence, walking into Madam Pudifoot's.

"So, how are you this morning?" He asked.

"I'm very well, thank you." And a bit chaotic too. "Yourself?"

"I'm fine." He said. "Thanks."

Yes, oh, you're so damned fine!

"So ... where do you want to go?" Cedric asked.

"I want to pick up something from Honeydukes, but have you got anything planned?"

"Not really, I figured we could just go wherever we feel like."  
"Ah, I see. That's good."

"But I hope you don't mind waiting for a moment."

"Yeah, of course."

For what?

"Ah, there he is." Cedric grinned.

A boy with jet-black hair walked towards us, with his hands in his pockets. He had thoughtful eyes, a sharp but rather feminine nose, and pouty lips. Cute, I must say. He was a bit shorter than Cedric, but also delectable, in a way.

"Hi." He said, his voice gentle.

"Hi, this is Cyan." Cedric introduced. "Cyan, meet Zia."

"Oh, hi." I shook hands with Cyan and he smiled a rather boyish smile.

Part of me was still confused.

"He'll be joining us today. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no! Of course not."

You mean it's not going to be just the two of us?!

This semi-delectable boy is going to be with us the whole time too?! Why didn't you tell me?!

Oh my GOD.

I knew this was too good to be true. I knew it!

"Hey, guys ... Have you guys waited long?" A feminine, breathless - and shockingly familiar voice called from behind.

Oh, fuck, no.

Please. No.

"Hi, Cho. Not that long." Cedric grinned. "These two just arrived anyway."

I shut my eyes and turned.

Oh yes, it was the bitch from hell.

"Zia!" Cho's eyes widened. She was as shocked as I was. "You're here."

"Yeah."

And I so wished not to be.

"So, shall we?" Cedric said happily.

Yes, Cedric, come away with me, away from these pricks!

"Yes!" Cho said, grabbing him by the arm and saying something to him as they walked on.

What. The. Fuck.

I groaned inwardly, and somehow my legs felt heavy.

I glared at the two of them walking in front, Cho giggling.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel." Cyan said gently.

"Huh?"

He pointed at the two of them, but what I saw was that his finger was pointing more towards Cedric.

What the.

Was he -

"Gay?" I whispered.

"Wha? Hell no! I meant Cho. I like her."

I groaned again. Not another male.

"But she was the one who asked him to go out, even though he had already had company. Nobody can refuse Cho." He beamed at her from behind.

My eyebrows perked up.

That company was me!

"He couldn't refuse, so he decided that the three of them go together."

Yeah, and what the hell are YOU doing here.

"Cedric knows I have a thing for her, so he invited me too. But look at this, they're practically all over each other."

I stared at them. "Are they?"

"Okay, maybe she is all over him. But don't you think it's only a matter of time before he does?"

I rolled my eyes.

Hmph.

We walked into Madam Pudifoot's, and Anita, who was talking to Draco caught sight of us, and her jaw immediately dropped.

"What. The. Fuck." She mouthed.

I shrugged and gave her a really angry look and reluctantly walked to where Cho decided to sit at.

She sat next to Cedric, of course, MY Cedric.

"There, there, sis. I know how you feel." Cyan patted my shoulder and I glared at him.

Maybe he wasn't so delectable after all.

What's this infatuation with Cho called - Choism?

Cho was busy talking to Cedric, playfully slapping him and all.

"So, Zia -" Cedric asked, but then Cho interrupted.

GRR! Let my man talk to me, goddammit!

Anita suddenly appeared at our table, with a sweet and polite smile.

"May I borrow Zi for a while?" She asked.

Cyan and Cedric nodded, but Cho looked happy to have me out of there.

Anita dragged me to her table, looking furious.

"What the HELL is she doing there?!" She almost yelled.

"I don't know! I had no idea, at first it was just the three of us, then suddenly her pretty little head appeared out of nowhere, and now we're stuck with her hogging him all the time."

"Goddammit! She's ruining the moment!"

"Honey, there weren't any moments already the second she appeared."

"God, I hate her so much!"

"Tell me about it." I rolled my eyes.

"I would love to kill her."

"Come up with a plan, and let me know." I said, sighing. "I've got to go back, it'll be too rude if I stayed away too long."

"Okay, meet you back at school for dinner."

"Righto." I said.

Cedric smiled when I returned and Cho seemed to forget that I existed at all. She was now in a conversation with her fan, Cyan.

"I'm sorry, are you bored?"

"No, no. Of course not." I lied. Just feeling a bit off, really. And angry.

"What would you like to do? Didn't you say you wanted to get some things from Honeydukes?"

"Yeah, I wo -"

"Did somebody say Honeydukes?" Cho interrupted again. "Oh, I would love to pick something up for my parents, gosh I miss them all so much."

That's great Cho.

If you would just let me have some time with Cedric, I wouldn't feel like biting your head off.

Or chopping your pretty little head and serving it in soup for my breakfast tomorrow morning.

It continued like this until we all finished our drinks. Me, trying to talk to Cedric, and Cho interrupting again and again.

"Listen ... I'm so sorry about all this." Cedric said when we were walking back.

"About what?" I asked innocently.

At least on the way home, I walked with him - and Cyan and Cho walked in front.

"This, I mean ... I wanted to talk to you and all, but Cho - well, you know, she has a lot to talk about." Cedric looked at me apologetically.

"That's alright. It's obvious."

"What is?"

"Oh come on, you can't possibly not know that she likes you?"

"She does?" He asked in confusion.

"Like, yeah?"

"Oh. Well. That's not really news for me."

Why not, I thought you men were all over her.

"Cyan likes her, that's why I kind of ... invited him. Cho insisted to go with me, so I figured that this would be an opportunity for Cyan."

Why are you so noble? Why are you so nice?

"That's very nice of you."  
"Hah, not from the way I treated you today."

"Hey, that's not your fault. She's mad for you, and you're too nice. I get it."

He laughed.

"But really, I'm sorry that it turned out this way."

"It's alright, Cedric. Seriously. No hard feelings."

"I could ... let's say, make it up to you?"

"That's not necessary, really, you're too nice."

Stop making me like you more, dammit!

"I insist."

"No, please, don't."

"If you think I'm nice, then you should let me make it up to you." He grinned.

"But tomorrow's the last day of the Hogsmeade trip before Christmas breaks, and I have to finish more Charms and Potions essays. I'll have to pass them up before the Flitwick and Sprout go off for their vacation." I said sadly. "And mind you, I'm not their best students. It'll take me forever to finish."

"Oh. Well ... how about I help you with them?"

"Huh?" I almost howled like a wolf.

You?

H-h-help me with my h-h-homework?

I wouldn't be able to concentrate!

"Yeah, why not? Plus I'm good at Charms and Potions. I'll help you." He flashed his million dollar smile again, and I have, once again, drowned in liking him more.

And the worse part was, I couldn't help it.

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I sighed.

And I sighed again.

"Why so gloomy?" Anita asked, concerned.

I answered with another sigh. I didn't feel like eating dinner at all.

"I'm upset about Cho too." Anita said, stabbing her food with a fork.

"It's not that ... I mean, I was upset about her, until Cedric was being all serious about apologizing and all. I mean, he's so ... thoughtful and so - God, he's so nice! I used to think he was just a pretty boy, just good looks and manners. But after today, after doing all that and saying those things ... he made me like him even more."

Anita smiled at me.

I shook my head.

I took out another black paper and wrote.

_You leave me breastless._

"What the!" I laughed out loud.

"What?" Anita said, and she peered at my note. "Breastless! Girl, you do know how to spell 'breathless', right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I do. I don't know, it just came out like that." I laughed.

"What's new?" Draco climbed next to me.

"Nothing much." Anita answered, still giggling.

"Yeah, nothing much." I started to fold the paper.

"Another letter for darling Diggy?"

"Yes, of course." I smiled.

"It sucks that Cho had to ruin it today, though." Anita said.

"Yeah, what's with her? Want me to rape her?" Draco smirked.

"No, you'd just enjoy it." I gently shoved his face away.

Draco laughed and started eating.

"Okay, it's sent." I said, after performing the spell on the note. "Plus, he's helping me out with my homework tomorrow, so it's good."

"Yeah, that's good." Anita smiled. "You sure you corrected your spelling error before sending it?"

I froze.

"Oh, **shit**." I said, bewildered.

"You didn't?!"

"Oh, MY GOD." I shrieked. "No! I forgot! I was distracted! I thought I - I thought - oh my GOD."

"Oh, shit."

We both turned and looked at Cedric, who was grinning toothily in confusion at the note I just sent him.

"I didn't." I clawed at the table.

"Oh, damn." Anita started laughing.

A reply came a few seconds after.

_Breastless? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. How shall I return it?_

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**Chapter Five sneak peek:**

_**You've just moved to the top of my 'to do' list.**_

**A reply came.**

_**Um … you're Zia?**_

Reviews! :D


	5. Chapter 5

I am so sorry for the terrible delay! I've been on vacation, and somehow I felt an itch to write chapter five. So sorry to keep you all waiting, and thanks for the wonderful reviews!

**Chapter Five**

"So, where is Pretty Boy Diggory again?" Draco drawled, feet on the table in the library and examining his nails. "Your ... Diggy."

"Should be here anytime." I said, glancing at my watch.

"He said about lunchtime right, it's a tad past two already." Anita looked to the entrance.

"He said he'll come."

I waited.

"He'll come. I know it." I told myself and the rest.

I waited, and waited. Just waiting.

"Honey. It's three." Anita whispered, looking at me sadly.

"He's not coming." Draco exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. "Not so pretty after all."

He stood up and strode to the door.

"I'm sorry, Zi." He nodded. "But if I see this stupid shit's face shortly after this I'm going to shove a stick up his you-know-where." And he shut the door.

Anita touched my hand.

"I'm okay, really." I gave her a megawatt smile, which wasn't a natural habit of mine and pretended I was okay. "Really. He should have a good reason. Maybe something came up."

Anita stared at me for long before she replied with a small smice. "Maybe."

"So!" I let out a great huff with a smile and picked up my quill. "Let's start without him."

Throughout my finishing my homework, I was able to forget him just for a while, and concentrated on finishing the essays before the night - and so that I might be able to continue thinking about him after I've finished all this. But I couldn't help thinking of the possible reasons why he could not come. Here's what I gathered:

1. He had a date with the giant squid.

2. Professor Sprout needed to give him "extra lessons".

3. He was busy because the election for Head Boy was coming up.

4. ---Cho---was---

5. ---He---went---out---with---Cho.---

6. ---Cho---kept---him---busy.---

7. He forgot about me.

Number one was obviously out of the question, and number two was too disturbing. Three was a possibility, but he would have said something - plus, I didn't even know whether he was running for Head Boy.

And basically, I just crossed everything else that had to do with Cho, since she entered the library herself, flipping her gorgeous, silky black hair and her pure virginal smile. And partially because I didn't want her to be involved in a way whatsoever.

Seven was downright cruel.

It hurt, so I decided to change it to ... He failed to remember an appointment. Well, that doesn't sound hurtful now, does it?

And I suppose it's understandable if he forgot my puny existence. I was the corner girl, I was the detached one in front of a crowd - and plus, I could be one of the many girls he's pulled through sweet-talking.

Boy, my life sucks.

To think that Cedric Diggory paid attention to me.

I could be rolling on the floor getting attacked by a random cat on the neck, screaming "Help! Help! My pussy's gone mad!" and he wouldn't give a rat's ass.

At least, that's what I thought. I've yet to hear his explanation.

"Yes, yes, they've been practicing hard for their match against Slytherin." Cho's voice said. "Especially Cedric, he ..."

My right ear practically casted _Engorgio! _on itself and strained to hear more of that girly and serene yet irritating noise that's coming out from Chang's voicebox.

"He's been practicing like mad lately, they're planning to improve this year. Plus he's been struggling with prefect duties, Quidditch seeker as well as a top student, so yeah, it's a bit hard for him to cope ... but yeah, I think he's handling it quite well. He told me before he left for practice that -"

What?

You mean he talked to you before he left?

Before he left this person all alone, stupidly trying to finish her homework?

Before he forgot his _date_ appointment with this person?

He talked to YOU?

Omagad.

"He's at the pitch now, practicing." Cho nodded.

I walked to the window with the view of the pitch at the distance

I saw a couple of boys flying around, beating the quaffle and laughing.

One of them was a sandy, golden-like hair, with a smiled likened to that of a male version of Julia Roberts.

"Cedric, Cedric." I muttered. If I had false teeth I would have swallowed it because of the hardcore grinding and gritting I was doing. "Lovely. Just lovely."

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"So, he actually left you hanging all day in the library and went off flying with a broomstick I rightfully should have shoved up his -"

"Yes, Draco." I said.

"- without telling you?"

"Perhaps he forgot."

"That's no excuse, I should go to him and bash his pretty face up."

"Thanks, Draco. You're an amazing guy." I said sarcastically. "But no."

"I so could do much better than him. Date me." Draco said.

"In your dreams, skirt chaser." I shoved his face.

He looked shocked.

"Draco, you've probably dated everything that wears a skirt in the nation, so why don't you leave my best friend alone?" Anita said.

"Quite right, but I'm running out of girls."

I sent him a bewildered look.

"Kidding!" He sent me the same shocked look in return.

"But anyways, that's okay - with Cedric, I mean. Never we mind. I'm just going to pretend nothing happened. Yeah?"

"That sounds like the best thing to do." Anita agreed.

We were walking down the hallway, on the way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Plus, by now, he should have come looking for you. Like he usually does." Anita said.

I said nothing, walking to the door.

BOOM. Cedric was walking the opposite direction, towards to Great Hall too.

"Oh noes." I squealed under my breath.

Think ... blind.

And I saw through him like he was the wall, even as he smiled greatly.

I ignored his beautiful smile and turned my head.

"Hi, Zia." Cedric greeted, pushing the Great Hall entrance door for me.

"Hmm." I smiled and walked on.

I saw him cock his head sideways and his smiled turned into a confused frown, but I was determined to carry out the 'ignore Cedric' thing.

"Zia, are you alright?"

Well, Sherlock, what does it matter to you?

"Never better." I huffed, and continued to walk.

"No, you sound ..."

Angry, upset, maybe.

Sexually deprived, probable.

Mentally decapitated, definitely.

"Never you mind, Cedric." I smiled. "I'm just a missed schedule."

"A missed what?" He looked thoroughly confused.

"Nothing, enjoy your dinner." I said in a business-like way and continued to the Slytherin table.

"Wowza, I swear, if I was not entirely linked to you through my disgustingly masculine cousin, I would be turned on by that." Draco suddenly whispered in my ear and dashed off to grab some food.

I shook my head and sat at the table.

I managed to enjoy my dinner, eating in vast amounts.

Cedric, on the other hand, looked downright confused and seemed to be deep in thought.

"Not sending him a love note today?" Anita asked.

"No, I'm having PMS, and so is my other half." I said grumpily.

Stupid boy.

I finished my dinner and stood up, at the same time Cedric did, after being called for a brief prefects' assembly.

"Zia." He called.

I walked on, ignoring his calls.

"Zia, please?" He said.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

I shut my eyes and bit my lip.

"Yes, Cedric."

"What's the matter?" He said. "Have I done something wrong?"

Let him figure it out, let him figure it out, let him figure it out.

"Why, no. Why do you ask?"

"It's just, you're treating me ... differently. Different than usual, so I was wondering if I - did, something that offended you? Would you tell me?"

No, you sweet sweet boy.

Candies are not meant to be mistreated!

"No, it's nothing. I was just ... sitting -"

Shut up Zi, shut up Zi, let him figure it out let him figure it out HIMSELF!!!

"- in the library, finishing my homework, and it sort of ... got to me, and I'm just weary from the complications of the homework and all." I nodded.

His eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, shi -- Zia, I, I -" He stuttered.

Damn, I wasn't meant to rat him out.

"I am so ... so, very sorry ..." He said slowly. "I forgot -"

HE FORGOT!

Oh noes, nobody remembers my pathetic existence...

Zia who?!

Unidentified Forgotten Organism. UFO.

Sad, sad.

"I really, oh, I'm really - I didn't mean to."

This was the time when I was at a complete loss of words.

"Oh." I croaked.

"I'm sorry."

And he looked at me with those grey eyes, with an abundant amount of sincerity and kindness and - lust? Whoa whoa, let's not go there.

Okay, so it was just sincerity and kindness.

And guilt.

"Well, I ..."

He stared at me, eyes saying "Forgive me?"

No.

Do not fall into temptation.

Do not forgive the male that identified you as the UFO.

No, No! NEVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

"It's okay."

What the fuck.

That totally was ...

"Honestly, it's okay." I said.

"I'm not sure if I'm able to say 'I'll make it up to you' again, because frankly, I've been busy with quidditch and with the head boy election coming up, I really don't know -"

"Never mind ... you don't need to explain yourself to me, Cedric."

"I have to. I need to." He paused. "I want to."

WHOA.

Could it be possible to change the 'to' to 'you'?

"I feel like I need to let you know. I don't want you to misunderstand. You, above all others."

My eyebrow arched up.

"Why?"

"Well ... I suppose it's because I'm very fond of you as a friend, and so ... it wouldn't be great to have you think of me the wrong way, like the fact you think I break promises for nothing."

Just as a friend?

God dammit Ciggy, it would have sounded like a love confession if you erased and changed a few words here and there.

"No, it's alright... Really, I understand."

He let out a small, timid smile.

"I'm really sorry, Zia."

"It's alright."

With that, he said he needed to rush to the prefects' assembly, and I left the Hall, feeling like the biggest fool.

And yet the happiest at that.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Over the next few days ...

Me: _Hello, gorgeous._

Cedric: _Hello there. How are you doing?_

Me:_ Good. And yourself?_

Cedric:_ Hectic. Chaotic, really. Been juggling issues._

Me:_ I see. I heard you were competing for Head Boy?_

Cedric: _Not really, I was forced by Madam Sprout._

Me: _But I'm pretty sure you'll make it._

Cedric_: No, come on. There are so many mighty contenders, there isn't a reason why I should be able to beat them._

Me:_ You have me as a voter._

Okay, wow, that was bloody conceited of me.

Who cares.

Cedric: _Well, thank you. It is indeed an honour._

Me_: So what are you doing?_

Cedric:_ Homework given for the holidays, loads of them. You?_

Me:_ Writing. You've just moved to the top of my 'to do' list._

A pause.

A long, long pause.

He must've dozed off while doing his homework.

After I considered hitting the sack -

A reply came.

Cedric:_ Um ... you're Zia?_

"Oh my God!!!" I shrieked, waking Anita up.

My heart stopped, my ears turned cold and my fingers shook.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!"

"Wha - what?!" Anita shouted in alarm.

I threw the letter to her, biting my nails.

She read it and awoke immediately.

"Oh my -" She gasped, her eyes widened at the reply. Her lips remained parted, it was a sign that she was thinking.

"Oh my God, oh my God!"

"No, wait ... It's ... he's just ... taking a wild guess. Come on, reply to him. Keep it casual, pretend you don't know what he's talking about." She said.

"Really?" I said, still cold and shaky.

"Yes, do it."

Me:_ Um ... who? Who is this person Zia?_

I anticipated.

I was expecting probably a "Don't bullshit me Zia, I know it's you" or "The game's over."

But surprisingly, no.

Cedric: _Oh, no, nevermind. She's just a friend._

Me:_ A friend? Oh really? Or is she my rival or something? Why would you think I was her?_

Cedric: _Yes, just friends, nothing more than that. And it's just because I thought you were, that's all._

Me: _Alright then. How are you handling your homework?_

Cedric: _Mildly. I'm dealing with some tough subjects here, and I'm beat. I'm going to head for bed now. Goodnight._

Me: _Goodnight, you, who are sweeter than apple pie._

Cedric:_ Yeah right. Night._

"Boy, that was a close call!" I breathed.

"Whoa ... that was really ... almost gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry for waking you up."

"Not to worry." Anita waved it off. "It was ... a good shock."

"Thanks, Anita."

"Your welcome. Now get some sleep. We don't want to miss the announcement of the Head Boy and Girl tomorrow morning."

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There he stood, looking heroic, proud and strong.

He totally drowned the rest of the other candidates standing in front of the students in the Great Hall.

He drowned them completely not only with his beauty, but with his wit, his intelligence, and his poise.

He ruled them all because he was confident.

And he ruled them all because he was him. He was Cedric.

_I've been watching your world from afar,_

_I've been trying to be where you are,_

_And I've been secretly falling apart._

_I'll see..._

Pretty much everybody knew that he was going to be Head Boy.

He had it in his hands even with other strong candidates.

"And the Head Boy is -" Dumbledore boomed. "Cedric Diggory!"

Everybody cheered. Everybody did a standing ovation. Everybody clapped. Everybody was happy with this smart decision.

Cedric Diggory was Head Boy.

I greedily wished for me to congratulate him first - to be the first to shake his hand and say "Congratulations, Cedric."

But it was in vain.

Hundreds of students swarmed him, congratulating him and shaking his hand.

And he fit perfectly well with them.

And it was so selfish of me to look at him for a long time, wishing he would turn around and see me.

_See me, see me now._

But he and the rest of the crowd were absorbed in their world.

_To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,_

_You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,_

_You turn every head but you don't see me._

_I'll put a spell on you,_

_You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you._

_And when I wake you,_

_I'll be the first thing you see, lyricstop_

_And you'll realise that you love me._

That night, I sent him a note.

Not a congratulatory note. But a note of this feeling expressed.

_Cedric, my love ... you're so near, yet ... so far._

And I climbed into my bed, feeling comfortable, but thoughts filled with him.

And a reply appeared on top of my blanket.

_I know._

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**Chapter Six sneak peak:**

_**"Good game, Zia." Cedric smiled.**_

_**"Yeah, you too. But we lost."**_

_**"I'm afraid I've lost something else to you too."**_

_**"What is it?"**_

_**"Something very important to me." He smiled and walked away.**_

Reviews please! :D xoxoxoxoxoxo


	6. Chapter 6

Man oh man, I know it has been so long, terribly sorry! *hides behind a rock* I've been busy with college stuff and I know I used to update every week and now it's been months … but anyways, here's the 6th chapter, enjoy! And please don't be mad!

**Chapter Six**

The quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Slytherin was …

"A total disaster." I huffed sadly, dragging my broom and walking across the now empty pitch.

It began pretty well, we were leading, 70 to 30, but somehow the Hufflepuffs managed to catch up to us, and Cedric caught the snitch before Malfoy did. I must say, it started, continued and ended in a blur for me – maybe it was because I was playing against _his_ team. And I spent most of the time not concentrating, but staring at his perfect face, and perfect body. He had noticed a couple of times, managing to give me a huge smile and a salute.

I felt ashamed of myself. I was usually composed and determined during quidditch matches, but I got all distracted and worked up all because of him. I was so smitten with him it began to unnerve me at how I didn't even know what I was doing anymore.

At one time he was flying directly in front of me; I had the chance to gaze at his perfect, beautifully-shaped tight bott-

"Hi Zia." A high-pitched, feminine voice greeted me while I held my head down in great disappointment. I looked up.

_Oh here she comes_

_Watch out boy, she'll chew you up_

_Oh here she comes_

_She's a maneater_

"Oh, hello, Cho."

"You did good." Cho smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, thanks, I guess."

"I hope you guys are dealing with it well – you know, losing to Hufflepuff, and all." She said with an innocent smile.

What the.

That's mean.

"Uh … yeah." I proceeded to walk away.

"Cedric was really awesome, wasn't he? He totally defeated you guys flat-out, ha ha! That's very admirable of him, don't you think?" She said with a very innocent smile again, and it made me want to punch her. I gripped my broom tightly and tried to control my temper.

"Hngh …" Was the only sound that I could produce with a totally forced smile. I dragged my feet away again.  
"But third place isn't all that bad you know." She laughed.

"Damned bitch." I muttered under my breath, walking away very grumpily.

I saw that she was finally showing her true colours, albeit not in front of Cedric.

Ohh … if Cedric knew! If one day I choose to unleash my bad side I'll start by bad-mouthing her to Cedric.

But of course, Cedric wouldn't believe me. He thinks too good of others.

I wonder what he thinks of me then.

Suddenly I felt an arm around my shoulder.

"Hello, Zia." He said with a radiant smile, almost blinding me again.

"H-h-hello." I stuttered.

"Come on, don't look so down."

"N-no, I'm not down." Down wasn't exactly what I was feeling at that moment.

Well! If it isn't a way to cure your moodiness – Cedric style, by wrapping his arm around my shoulder like _that_.

"Well, if you aren't down, smile for me." He said, which sounded like what an angel would say.

I pulled the most genuine smile I could muster beneath all the confusion and the rapid beating of my heart at the knowledge that he was touching me.

"I'm sorry we defeated your team." He said with a guilty smile.

With this, people would usually rage out of control and bite his head for sounding so cocky, but he made it sound so … unfairly adorable and brought a smile to my own face.

"Well … it's because we _let_ you win, Cedric." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, I was so afraid of the almighty Zia, I was literally shaking, knowing that I'd be no match for her …"

"Hmph, whatever."

He laughed and squeezed my probably too-flabby arm.

Man, why was he touching me? It made me tingle in the nicest way, if that was even possible. But it has already been established well – he was just being nice.

"Listen, I have to scoot and get ready for a prefect's meeting later on, I will see you around, yeah?" He said.

"Sure."

"Good game, Zia." Cedric smiled.

"Yeah, you too. But we lost."

"I'm afraid I've lost something else to you too."

"What is it?"

"Something very important to me." He smiled and walked away.

Huh?

Wha?

"Hey, what is it?"

Still walking, he turned around and gave me a well-that's-up-to-you-to-figure-out look.

"What's the point of hinting if you're not planning to give me the answer anyways?!" I yelled after him.

He laughed in a boyish way, and waved, "Bye, Zia!"

I shook my head and smiled to myself. Someone passed by, giving me the dirtiest look ever.

"Damn, Cho, wipe out that dirty look. You look like you set your face on fire and tried to put it out with an ice pick." I said nonchalantly. "Cedric wouldn't fancy looking at you like that, would he?"

Her eyes widened in shock and repulsion, but I just happily skipped away.

She thinks she's hot shit, but she's just a cold fart warmed up. Though I can't seem to figure out why she's so jealous since Cedric gives her the same amount of attention he gives me.

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"So … tell me again why we decided to hunt for food in the middle of the night, after hours?" I whispered to Anita.

"Cos we're hungry, bored and adventurous people who don't care about abiding the rules." Anita nodded.

" … Right."

It was completely dark, and the only light source was from our wands.

"Hmm, I feel like eating some chicken steak." I said, finally liking the idea of sneaking into the kitchen.

"I want to eat some pork stew … Do you think they come with some other stuff like desserts too?"

"I dunno, do you think the chicken steak comes with Cedric as well?"

Anita giggled. "I dunno, ask them? They'll probably kidnap Cedric from his room and cook him especially for you."

"Nah, I prefer Cedric raw. And unharmed. But flaming hot. Cedric Flambé."

We both laughed.

Suddenly, at the back of my head, Cedric's voice said 'Hello?'

"Funny, all this talk about him, I suddenly heard him say 'hello' at the back of my head."

"No, sweetie … he really did."

We both froze.

"Who's there?" Again, the same voice I thought came from my head echoed loudly across the corridors.

"Oh, shit!" Anita hissed. We both put out our lights and proceeded to walk quietly out of there.

"Cedric's on duty today …" I whispered to Anita.

"I know, we'd better get out of here quick."

My heart fluttered.

Suddenly a beam of light appeared not far from us, and it was heading towards us in high speed.

"Stop right there." Cedric's voice commanded.

"Oh my god, oh my god, he's seen us! Run!" I pushed Anita.

"Wait, wait! What about you?" She lurched forward involuntarily.

"We'll meet later okay? Better one of us than the both of us, go! I'll find a way back! Let's just split!"

"Huh? Zia!" She protested.

"Go!" I gave her another push, and we both split.

I quickly ran towards the opposite side, hoping that Cedric would probably lose us or give up. But I was too quick to judge.

Cedric wasn't one who gave up, and he was indeed fast – and heading for me.

"Oh god oh god oh god, why me?" I muttered to myself while running fast. "No, not that I want him to go after Anita instead … but dang, my luck just sucks!"

This is what I do. I talk to myself when I'm nervous.

I saw a corner in the end and my hopes shot up, I was going to make it!

"_Locomotor mortis!_"

Oh, no.

And my legs were immediately locked, and thanks to my parents for bestowing me with a large built and large bones, my inertia totally sucked. I fell to the ground, landing on my elbows.

Oh, man!

My heart beat a thousand times faster.

I saw a figure stepping closer towards me, and I gulped. He shone the lights towards me and with a surprised tone, Cedric said, "Zia?"

"Cedric? Oh, I didn't know you were here!" I laughed.

He raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

"Uh, no, well, yes I did know it was you, which is why I ran." I admitted in defeat.

Talk about smooth-talking, eh?

"What are you doing here out of hours?" He whispered the incantation to release me from the leg-lock curse, and he held out his hand to help me get up.

"Well, I … err, got hungry." I said.

"Huh?" He chuckled. He looked around, and then peeked into the corner. "Is there anybody else with you?"  
"Nope."

He arched his eyebrow at me again. "Are you sure you haven't got a boy stashed around here somewhere?" He looked around again.

"A boy? Naa …"

"Or was it Anita?" He said with an 'aha!' tone.

"Of course not, I came alone."

"You should know that it is against the rules to be walking around after hours."

"I know, I know."

"If I weren't your friend, I would probably have sent you to Snape."

"Oh, Snape's fine …" I muttered.

"Or Filch."

I resisted the urge to puke and run at the same time.

"I am sorry, truly, I am." I said. "I would never do that again."

"You're joking." He shook his head and laughed. "But … since I _am_ your friend, I'll let you go. Just this once. I won't ever again, if you get caught a second time."

"_Now_, you're joking." I laughed.

"What?"

"Nah, it's just that you're too nice."

I was lying, he was most certainly strict with other students I've seen done some serious damage here and there. He'd look calm and composed, but he was nonetheless _very_ strict.

"Will it be too nice of me to walk you back to your dorm?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, definitely. You need not bother, I know the way." I grinned. "But thanks for letting me off the hook."

"Well then I strictly will walk you back to your dorm, just to make sure you won't run off elsewhere." He nodded.

Cedric walked me back that night, and we chatted along the way, in small voices of course.

"Alright then, good night." I said, once we reached the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons.

"Good night, Zia. I'll see you in the morning." He smiled.

"Yeah definitely. If I don't, it probably means that I had died of hunger. And it's all your fault."

"Hey, sorry." He held both of his hands up.

"Okay then, see you."

"Rest well." He let out his blinding smile again, and waved – only leaving when I shut the door behind me.

I jumped into bed, Anita already snoring away. I guess it couldn't be helped, I could see that she probably tried her best to wait for me, but the hunger was too much to bear and fell asleep, trying to sleep the hunger away.

And for me, I was trying to sleep away this heart ache. Yes, it ached. It ached in a sweet, happy way.

Tonight, my dreams will definitely be filled with Cedric.

_Cedric, I am meeting you in my dreams tonight._

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**Chapter Seven sneak peek:**

_**Hello, my beautiful. **_

_**Your secret admirer.**_

_**I stormed into the Great Hall, and slammed the paper in front of Draco and Anita.**_

"_**Cut the crap guys," I laughed. "Who did this?"**_

_**  
Draco and Anita snatched the white note and read it.**_

"_**What do you mean who did this, of course we wouldn't know." Anita said innocently.**_

"_**I wouldn't pick white, really. I'd pick this dark, dark shade of green –"**_

"_**Stop playing, you guys."**_

"_**No, really, honey. We wouldn't do this to you."**_

"_**Wha – then who did?" **_

_**I looked around.**_

Again, sorry for the delay! I love reviews too! xxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the reviews! *throws pancakes at fans*

**Chapter Seven**

_I don't have to dream, reality is beautiful in you._

I folded the note and smiled to myself.

"You're smiling like an idiot." Anita stared at me.

"Am I?" I looked at Cedric's direction dreamily.

Well, a person has got to be a real idiot not to kiss the ground Cedric walks on. Even Cho's an idiot. But there's a billion times the amount. Pure idiocy. Pure idiocy embedded with fake attitude.

Around that time Cedric was surrounded by his friends, and as soon as the note popped right in front of him, his friends hooted and shoved him, cheering him on.

"Stuff it." Cedric said with a huge grin, opening the note already.

"I don't have to dream, reality is beautiful in you!" A friend read from behind. "Damn, Ceds, have you found out who this girl is yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Could it be Cho?" One of his friends asked.

Cedric looked at Cho's direction. She was already staring at him, and gave him a delicate wave. Cedric returned the gesture by smiling and nodding.

"I dunno."

"Look down, look down, he's going to look this way." Anita warned.

I immediately pretended to idly examine my fingernails.

"When are you going to tell him it's you?"

"Soon." I said nonchalantly.

"Hmph, yeah you said that months ago."

"Come on now, can't I take my own time? I'm just … not … ready to tell him it's me."

I mean, me, the person who's casually friends with him and the one who gets along well with him _actually_ is a hopeless sap, and wants to shag him against the wall? I don't think he's ready to accept that. I don't think I'm ready to accept me either.

Draco suddenly sat next to me.

"Tell me that you're the one who loves me? Oh, I knew that a long time ago, Zia. Let's marry."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. Oh, if only Cedric was the one saying that.

"Is this about that Ciggy again?" He said, stuffing peanuts into his mouth. "If anything, I think he's beginning to like you."

"Huh?" I said, but a bit happy inside.

Fo sho?!

"Yeah, he hangs out with you a lot. I'd think he's rather fond of you."

"You're forgetting that he does that to Cho too." I muttered sadly.

"I don't like her. I love women everywhere –"

"You sound like a gigolo." Anita cut in.

" - except for Cho." He said proudly.

"Dracoooooooo!" A screech came from behind him. It sounded like an eagle being goosed.

"And her." Draco made a pained expression. "She may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. She really is an idiot."

"Draco!" She called again.

"For the love of God, will you shut the hell up, Pansy?" Draco said, stuffing the peanuts roughly now.

"Why, Draco, whyyyyy? What did I do?"  
"Let's see, shall I make a list?" Draco said thoughtfully. "You annoy the living daylights out of me, you make me want to shoot my blinking head off –"

Pansy threw her arms around his neck.

"Come now, darling, don't be mad!"

Draco stood up in anger and violently broke free from her.

"Good God!" He yelled and stomped furiously towards the Great Hall entrance and disappeared, leaving Pansy feeling alone and dejected.

Anita and I stared at her blankly for a long time. Long enough to get her uncomfortable and move away from us.

"Hey, look at the bright side; at least I'm not like that towards Cedric."

The thought of me clinging to Cedric like Pansy, or even Cho, made me shiver a little.

Just then Cho happened to pass by, and gave me a death glare. I returned it with a what-is-your-problem look. She then skipped to Cedric and locked her arm with his.

Pssh! Hands off my man!

"Cedric!" She said in that squeaky, cute, effeminate voice. Argh, it pisses me off!

And come to think of it, compared to her, I can sound like a man sometimes.

"Hello, Cho."

"Want to go to class together?"

Well, he doesn't have any other choice does he?! You locked yourself with him, and he's too nice to tell you to go kiss somebody else's arse.

"Of course, why not?" He said with a dashing smile.

Hngh.

Oh, how I would love to pull that straight, silky hair!

Dear Cho, I've had many cases of love that were just infatuation, but this hate I feel for you is the real thing …

Just then I caught emerald eyes following Cho.

They were so devastatingly green, and full of admiration and longing.

Harry Potter.

I looked from Harry Potter to Cho, and back again.

Oh God. Poor Harry Potter.

How was he to know that she's … well, her?

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I was all alone in the library that night.

There was a test on Charms the next day, and I haven't studied at all. The other two, Anita and Draco never had to study at all. They were BORN smart.

They, unlike me, are not the only geniuses around with an IQ of 60. I am not a big fan of studying. My attention span only lasts for 5 minutes, and after that I get lost in thought – it's an unfamiliar territory …

There were only a few students around in the library, but I carefully chose a place where I couldn't be seen clearly. Just in case if Cedric saw me composing notes for him.

Just when I was about to open my Charms book, a note appeared in front of me.

It was my black one.

"Cedric!" I squealed to myself.

_Sorry for the late reply, yeah? I had Quidditch practice, big game's in a few days. What are you up to?_

I grabbed my quill and started to think of a reply, careful to pick my words so that it didn't sound like me, but sounded like my alter ego – the Rapist slash Stalker slash Cedric Fan girl.

I was about to write the first word when another note came flying. It didn't appear magically in front of me like Cedric's does, but it flew from the library door and landed clumsily on top of my books. It wasn't black. Instead, it was a white note.

I raised an eyebrow and stared at it.

It could have been somebody else's and I daren't rip it open, but just as I was thinking about not ripping it apart, writings started to appear on the blank part of it.

_To: Zia_

I grabbed it and ripped it open. Heh.

_Hello, my beautiful._

_Your secret admirer._

I laughed at it.

The hell were these kids playing at?

I stared at my books and the time, the library was about to close soon, so I figured I would get some studying done in the common room.

I quickly replied to Cedric: _It's alright; I had all the time in the world to watch you while you were occupied. And good luck. I am thinking of you, nothing else is on my mind, my darling. _I stuffed my books in my bag and left the library, storming into the Great Hall, where Anita and Draco were – with a smirk on my face.

I slammed the paper in front of them.

"Cut the crap guys," I laughed. "Who did this?"

Draco and Anita snatched the white note and read it.

"What do you mean who did this, we wouldn't know." Anita said innocently.

"I wouldn't pick white, really. I'd pick this dark, dark shade of green –"

"Stop playing, you guys."

"No, really, honey. We wouldn't do this to you."

"Wha – then who did?"

I looked around.

"Um …" I felt weird, excited and worried at the same time. "Uh …"

"Oh my God!" Anita exclaimed.

"What?" I said, alarmed.

"What if – what if it's Cedric?!" Anita suggested.

I was anxious, and I sat between them, taking out Cedric's note, and the other white one. We compared them.

"The handwritings are different. See the style, and the strokes." Draco pointed. "Completely different. They're from different people."

I chewed my lips.

Draco leaned in closer to inspect it more. I was literally breathing into his neck.

"Wow, Draco, you smell really nice."

"Really?" He grinned. "Why, thank you very much. It's –"

"What time did the white note appear?" Anita asked.

"Aramis." Draco said, raising an eyebrow and a bit insulted at the fact that Anita cut him off.

I turned to Draco first.

"Cool, it smells really good." I said, earning myself a proud smile from him. Then to Anita, "Erm, it wasn't really long, it was literally less than five seconds when it flew in."

"Hmm …" Anita said. "But Cedric could've –"

"No, no." Draco cut her off. "Tactics are too different, style is too different, basically not the same person. At least, that's what I think."

"Yeah, I don't think it's Cedric either. I don't know why, or in what way, I just can't put my finger on it. It's just not Cedric."

I sent the two of them a suspicious look again.

"If it is you guys, now is the time to –" I started.

"If you don't stop accusing us, I will rape you." Draco stared.

I sighed.

"You said it flew in, right?" Anita said.

"Yeah."

"Reply to this person now, it might just fly to your admirer."

"That's a good idea!"

I took out a quill and started scribbling.

"Write 'Hello, stranger. Are you as handsome as Draco Malfoy?'" Draco suggested.

I sent him a 'pfft' look.

_Hello, can you tell me who you are?_

I showed it to Draco.

"Not very poetic, but whatever."

As soon as I put my quill down, it started to fold itself and mounted from the table. It flew aimlessly at first, taking its own sweet time.

I stared straight, Anita keeping an eye on Cedric behind us.

"Funny, it's not flying towards Cedric …" Anita said.

"It's headed towards the door …" Draco pointed.

"I – I should go after it!" I clumsily got off my seat and ran after it, literally bumping into everyone. It was getting closer to the entrance door, and I ran faster. It disappeared behind it, and when I was just about to go out, somebody was blocking me.

"Huh." She scoffed.

Oh gods no, it's the bitch from hell. BFH.

I raised both my eyebrows at her.

"Well, move." Cho commanded.

"You move. A lot people want to go out, wouldn't it be nice of you to move for a while, so we can all go out first before you go in?"

"No. I insist you move."

The hell.

"Are you always this stupid or are you making a special effort today?" I asked her.

She glared at me.

"A sharp mouth does not mean you have a keen mind …" She said proudly, lifting her chin.

Speak for yourself.

"Brains aren't everything. In fact, in your case they're nothing."

Before I knew it, I had already pushed all of her sensitive buttons. Her ears started to turn red, and her eyes were deadlier than ever.

"You …!" I could tell she was thinking, still, but her friend came and pulled her out of the way, also glaring at me.

I got out happily, and in victory. Before I continued on my journey, I yelled back at her.

"Don't let your mind wander – it's far too small to be let out on its own!"

I chuckled to myself and continued walking. But before I knew it, amongst the seas of students rushing in and out of the Great Hall, I had lost track of the white note.

"God, damn it!" I yelled, stomping.

I had become too engrossed in insulting BFH that I had forgotten all about it. Damn you, BFH!

"Argh!" I groaned.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down." Cedric said from behind me.

I turned.

My heart started to beat furiously, as always whenever he was around.

"C-Cedric." I said, swallowing my frustration.

"Zia." He smiled broadly, stepping closer.  
"Sup?"

"Hmm, nothing much, just on my way to patrolling duties."

"Ah, alright …"

"Why were you so angry?" He grinned.

"Well …"

"You can tell me, after all, doesn't it seem unfair if you know probably everything about me, but I don't know the slightest thing about what's going on with you?" He still kept that lopsided grin.

"Slytherins never play fair." I smirked.

"Well, I'm just simply curious then."

"Curiosity killed the cat." I retorted.

His eyes widened.

"Well, it's up to you now whether you want to kill this cat or not." He said nonchalantly.

Me? Kill you?

NEVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!  
I will never, ever, ever, ever hurt you, my love!

"And they say cats have nine lives, so I figured I'll just keep on asking you."

Damn, he's smart.

"Alright, alright."

He resumed his full-blast smile.

"Walk with me." He said. "We can talk on the way."

"Sure."

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I hope it remains this noisy, otherwise he'll hear how loud my heart is beating …

"So, what happened?"

"What happened to you is now happening to me." I blurted.

"Hm?"

"Remember you get those secret admirer notes from a girl?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I got one today."

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, I wanted to find out who it was by following its direction, but then, I got distracted and stuff."

"So _that_'s why you were acting like a mad cat."

"Yeah …" I laughed nervously. God, he saw me lost my temper.

"Hmm … maybe they're twins."

I laughed.

"Well, at least you know the other twin that's crushing on you is a _girl_, right? I don't know the gender of mine." I stated.

"Yeah, well, hey – how did you know that I found out she's a girl for sure?" Cedric looked at me.

OH, _**SHIT**_.

I mustered the straightest face and gave him a duh-that's-so-obvious look.

"You told me before."

"Eh, really?"

"Yeah, you did, you told me you confirmed it."

"Oh … really … hmm … darn, I think the stress had finally got to me, I can't seem to remember small things now."

"Don't worry, it's only temporary." I grinned, inwardly whew-ed.

Just as we were turning into a corner, a note came flying slowly towards my direction.

It was white, alright.

I held out my hands in the air, and it landed smoothly into them.

"Is that the one?" Cedric prodded.

"Yeah."

I stopped walking and carefully opened it.

_I am the man who loves you._

"Oh." Cedric suddenly said from right next to me. I could actually turn and touch his face with mine and make it look like a total accident if I wanted to.

But no, I'm too much of a wuss to do that.

The only thing I wanted to do was to tell him to move away, otherwise he would notice how hard my heart was beating – it was trying to escape through my throat already!

I could actually feel his breath on my shoulder.

"Well, at least now you know it's a guy." Cedric grinned and moved away.

"Y-yeah …" I looked away for a while, and touched my hot face with my cold hands.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just …"

"Flattered?" He answered with a smile.

"Yeah, very much."

"Yes, it is nice to know that someone actually appreciates your existence, yeah?"

I smiled.

"You're right."

But of course, he doesn't know it's me who does the most.

"Anyways, here you are." He pointed.

We were already near the dungeons.

"Oh my God, you led me straight to the dungeons." I was shocked that I was so absorbed in talking to him that I didn't know where he was leading me to.

"Well, I had to make sure you don't sneak out while I'm on duty, right?" He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

"What ever." I laughed.

"Goodnight Zia." He waved.

"Goodnight, and have fun patrolling."

"I'll try to, it's not exactly fun when it doesn't involve chasing after rebels like you. NOT that I'm asking you to sneak out, okay?" He said.

"Alright, alright, I won't, boss." I saluted.

I watched his back as he disappeared into another corridor, somehow happy and content.

I peered at the note again, and I felt a rush of disappointment.

Well, it was also confirmed that it wasn't Cedric.

"Huh." I let out a breath of laughter.

_Sweet dreams, whoever you are._

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.—

**Chapter Eight sneak peek:**

"_**I have a feeling that the girl who keeps sending me the notes is in the same classes as I am." Cedric said.**_

"_**O-oh … do you?" I swallowed nervously.**_

"_**Yes, so I'm going to keep watch while I reply to her messages during the Charms test later. Is it okay if I sit next to you? That way we can both scout for her."**_

_**I literally turned white.**_

_**Wouldn't it be weird, if he asked me to help him look for her, but as soon as he replies, the note pops up at the table next to him?**_

Hope you enjoyed it, lots of hugs and love. Reviews! :D xoxoxoxox


	8. Commercial Break! revised

**TonksxMoony: **I wasn't being mean :P I wanted to promote something in here, but unfortunately they erased the links, so yeah … Will dedicate Chapter 8 to you :P

**Caramel Wafer: **Will do, will do :D

**I interrupt this story to bring you ... Cy Rimmon!**

Zia paced around in the common room that night.

"Who is this secret admirer?" She thought to herself.

She rummaged in her bag for that note, staring at those two words again and again.

_Hello, my beautiful._

_Your secret admirer._

_Who does that sound like? Does it sound like anybody I know?_ She thought to herself.

She became totally uncomfortable.

Not knowing who that person was, and knowing that that person would be watching her every move.

"Damn, sorry, Cedric." She muttered to herself. "Now I know how you feel ..."

But that didn't stop her.

She smiled to herself, grabbing her quill and tried to think of something to write to Cedric at that moment.

And all of a sudden, the crackling sound of the fire became softer and softer.

The place dimmed, and Zia looked up. The fire started to die.

And in a mere second, the common room turned pitch black.

She searched for her wand.

"_Lumos_!" And she looked at her watch. "It's only 10:15pm! Why did the fire go out so early?!"

She realized that her watch had stopped ticking.

"Damn!" She tapped her watch a few times, and tried readjusting, but it still didn't work.

Then all of a sudden ...

Her hair stood on its ends.

Somebody was there.

Something, somewhere ...

She could see its shadows.

"W-who's there?!"

It stepped towards the window, where the moonlight outlined the figure.

It had black wings, and it was spread. She couldn't see anything more than that, but she noticed that that thing's eyes were shining.

"Who - who are you?!" She asked, heart thumping.

"I am Cy Rimmon, of course. It's about time you knew who I am ... I am just dropping by to tell you that chapters eleven, twelve and thirteen of my story are up." He spoke in a commanding, assured voice.

"Wha - huh?!"

"Visit blessedemon . blogspot . com if you wish to know further ... And ..." He said. "I order you to comment on my story."

And with a wave of his hand, the window opened, and he flew out - sending black feathers everywhere inside the common room.

The fire lit itself again, the room became brighter, and Zia noticed that her watch started ticking again.

She sat on the floor, immobile, mouth agape, staring out the window.

_What ... in the ... blazing fires of hell ... was THAT?!_ She thought to herself.

"I must be thinking too much ... I'm damned tired ..." She stood up and told herself that she should go to bed, regardless of how early it was. But before she walked to her room, another thought interrupted her.

She grabbed her quill, and taking out her notebook, she wrote.

"What was it again?" She said. "Blessedemon . blogspot . com? Might as well check it out when I return home for Christmas ..."

**Stay tuned for Chapter 8!!!**

_Sorry guys, didn't mean to get your knickers in a twist!_

_Rest assured that Chapter 8 will be up soon!_

_Cheers!_

_  
And don't hate me!_

_*bakes cookies for fans*_


	9. Chapter 8

**Here's Chapter 8 !**

**And as promised in the revised commercial break, I hereby dedicate this chapter to TonksxMoony and Caramel Wafer ! Cheers ! ( Hopes this makes up for my 'cruelty' :P)**

**Chapter Eight**

"It isn't Draco, is it?" I said to Anita.

Anita looked at me in a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me look.

"What, I mean, he does say erm, rather ... suggestive things to me."

"That's what he does will all the girls he's well acquainted with. Didn't he say earlier 'I love all women'?" Anita rolled her eyes.

"Well -" I started to realize it myself.

"Anyways, you cannot put Draco and 'write love letters' in the same sentence. It's a total contradiction to his existence."

"Hello, delicious ladies." Draco said and put his arms around the both of us.

"See what I mean?" Anita nodded.

"Err, okay, that puts Draco off the list." I sighed.

"List? What list?" Draco's eyes shot to me.

"A list of possible people -" Anita started.

"A list of possible people Zia would marry?" He cut her off, and immediately feigned a hurt look. "Why, Zia! Whatever have I done to you to make you cut me off?"

"We were just wondering whether you'd possibly be the one who sent me the notes." I said.

"You know I adore you." Draco said, sitting down opposite us. "And every other women except Cho and Panties Parkinson. But I was never really a sap to begin with."

"But you are a s -" Anita began.

"Shush, cousin!" Draco silenced her. "I meant, 'sap' as in a 'sappy' person, get it?"

I laughed.

Just then we caught sight of Pansy Parkinson smiling and skipping to our table.

"Now, _that_ is a sap." Draco corrected. "I just hope she doesn't come here and bother me."

Pansy was just about to sit down with her own friends and have breakfast, until one of her friends pointed at Draco.

Her expression completely lightened up and it was as if flowers appeared everywhere.

She ran to him like she was running to her long-lost lover across a flower field.

"Draco!!!!" She called.

Draco immediately stood up, muttering a quick 'I'll skip breakfast today' and proceeded to escape from her.

But Pansy caught up with him.

She seemed to say something to him, and kept following him like a puppy with its owner, but Draco gave her nothing but ignorance.

But she kept skipping around him in the most annoying manner, and it made me wonder how Draco actually put up with it and not smash her brains to bits with an 'Avada Kedavra'.

"OH!" Draco finally stopped and shouted at the top of his lungs, attracting some of the students' attention. "For the love of God, who created such an abnormal woman like you! Will you please leave me alone, or I swear I will turn you into a hippo. Now go away, I don't love you."

He then walked on proudly, girls swooning at him as he left through the entrance.

"I pity Draco, this happens to him every morning." I said, watching Pansy walk to the table as if nothing happened.

"I pity Cedric too, he gets love notes everyday too, but he hasn't got a clue on who it is yet." She grinned.

I was about to turn to Cedric, but then I caught sight of emerald eyes.

That familiar, huge and beautiful emerald eyes.

Harry Potter smiled.

"Hmm." I smiled back, feeling a bit taken aback by his ... err ... 'hospitality' towards a Slytherin.

"Who you smilin' at?" Anita said, turning around to see who I was smiling at.

She turned again.

"Oh, Harry Potter. Nice guy."

"Yeah. Doesn't get along well with Draco, does he?"

"Nah, _complete_ opposites." She said. "But I guess he's like every other guy in the planet, just completely normal. Except for his handwriting though. His handwriting looks like a couple of random chickens decided to have a go at his paper."

"Haha!" I laughed. "Must be real messy."

"Damn right, teachers have a hard time correcting his essays."

At the same time she finished that sentence, something ignited at the back of my head.

My brain wasn't able to put a rational sentence together yet, because it's so early in the morning, but the only words I could think of were 'messy', 'Harry Potter' and 'note'.

Messy handwriting Harry Potter note?

Nah, that didn't sound right.

I pushed my brain again.

Harry Potter messy handwriting note?

Oh. Could Harry Potter's messy handwriting match to the notes I've been receiving?

Could it ...?

Hmmm ...

I shall try and peek at his notes later on during classes together.

"But that's not till third period ..." I muttered to myself.

"Hmm? What was that?" Anita asked.

"No, I was just saying, that Herbology's not till third period, because Charms - CHARMS!" I suddenly shouted.

"Whoa, yeah, we have Charms alright. Chill." Anita said, bewildered.

"No, no! Charms - I haven't studied for the test yet!"

Anita stared at me for a while.  
"Oh. I didn't too."

"But you're different, you can ace every subject without ever studying - well except for Divination, but you're a smartypants."

"I'll sit next to you and give you the answers." Anita suggested, continuing to eat her toast.

"But we're mixing with Hufflepuff today, and you know Flitwick likes us to sit at random and make sure that the ones next to us are Hufflepuffs."

Anita thought for a second.

"That's not such a bad thing. The probability of you having Cedric to sit next to you is quite high." She grinned.

I was grinning, but tried to shake it off at the thought of me flunking Charms.

"No! I will not let that happen!" I said. "As much as I want to be near him, I think I will go mad if he sits next to me for the entire two periods without me knowing any of the answers. I will _not_ have Cedric sit next to me during the Charms test."

Anita nodded and raised her arms in surrender.

"Seriously, I will not let that happen." I repeated.

"Okay, whatever you say. Listen, I have to meet Snape for a bit - something about my essay. Will see you later in Charms."  
"Alright." I said, feeling nervous about the test.

I quickly grabbed my notes and checked the time. I only had about fifteen minutes left to quickly go through my notes.

"Damn ... damn." I chanted.

I tried to get as much as I could into my head, and managed to remember all of it, but keep getting blank whenever I stare at the clock.

"Hello there." A voice said. "Nervous?"

I completely stopped breathing before I looked up.

It was the tantalizing angel.

"Oh, Cedric." I said, squealing inside.

"Good morning to you, too." He smiled.

"Oh, sorry, good morning." I laughed nervously.

"No worries. Nervousness does that to you."

"Yeah it does."

Except now I'm not sure whether what I'm nervous about is the test.

He sat down opposite me and peered at my notes.

"Hmmm." He said.  
"What?"

"I don't think that's coming out." He pointed to the part where I was furiously trying to memorize.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Flitwick said it wasn't one of his favourites, so it wouldn't come out. I'm sure of it."

"Oh, I see."

Okay, delete that and make more space for useful information!

"Yeah, he said that once in class. Weren't you listening?" He grinned.

"Well, I ... err ... I do. Sometimes."

I'm a liar.

I spend 99% of the lessons concentrating on you. Nothing else.

Yes, Cedric is definitely the most interesting of all subjects in the world.

Cedricology.

Cedrichaeology?

Cedricism.

"What?" He asked, smiling curiously.

"What?" I asked back.

"You're staring at me."

OH SHIT.

WAS I?

"Um, sorry, I was just ..."

He laughed. "It's alright. But you know something?" He leaned closer.

"What?"

I had a twisted idea to lean closer too, so that our noses could touch - but then ...

"I have a feeling that the girl who keeps sending me the notes is in the same classes as I am." Cedric said.

"O-oh … do you?" I swallowed nervously.

"Yes, so I'm going to keep watch while I reply to her messages during the Charms test later. Is it okay if I sit next to you? That way we can both scout for her."

I literally turned white.

Wouldn't it be weird, if he asked me to help him look for her, but as soon as he replies, the note pops up at the table next to him?

"Um, uh ... I, uh ..." I was seriously ... feeling numb and cold from head to toe.

"Yes?"

"But isn't Flitwick against friends sitting next to each other during tests?" I said with a shaky smile.

"Nah, he doesn't think we're that close."

We're close?!

OH MY GOD.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?!

ALERT THE MEDIA!!!!

I. Am. Close. To. Cedric. Diggory.

"Wh - uh ... I, uh ..." I started panicking.

I looked around for any signs of Anita, hoping she'd come right in and save me with a brilliant suggestion.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

"So, shall we go then?" He stood up. "It's starting in five minutes."

Five minutes?!

FIVE?!

That isn't enough time for me to think of a plan?!

But I automatically stood up and walked ever-so-slowly, thinking hard - almost to a point that I feel it was breaking my skull open.

"So ... have you got any idea about who might be sending those notes to you?" Cedric asked.

I could already see the Charms classroom from where we were already.

I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die.

"Zia?" Cedric asked.

"Y-yeah?" My eyes were out of focus.

We were already in front of the classroom.

"You look pale."

Do I?

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I uh ..."

"Zia?" Cedric asked again, his eyes glimmering with concern.

"Yeah ... actually ... I am feeling a bit unwell." I said, as I mustered the best 'I'm sick' face.

"Yeah ... you've been looking quite pale since breakfast."

To be precise, I started feeling sick to my stomach when you told me you'd sit next to me.

How can I deal with that?

YOU WILL FIND OUT WHO I AM. I AM ZIA, YOUR SECRET ADMIRER!!!

And that will be the end!!!

Cedric's hand suddenly reached out to touch my forehead.

Oh. Shit.

He's touching me. He's touching me. He's touching me. He's touching me. He's touching me. He's touching me. He's touching me.

"Whoa, that's ... really hot, Zia. Your temperature is really high." He said and he let go.

Yes, exactly.

It burned - the places where you touched me ...

"I think you might be coming down with a fever."

No, no.

I think I might be down with lovesickness.

And the cause is you.

And I would, therefore, recommend a high dosage of you to cure me.

No, no, no!

WHAT AM I SAYING?!

"Shall I take you to the hospital wing?"

"No!" I said, alarmed. "It's alright. I'll go check in with Madam Pomfrey myself."

"But Zia, I really think you shouldn't go alone. In your condition."

"That's really kind of you, Cedric, but -"

"I insist." He said seriously.

"No, really, you don't want to miss the test."

"I can always take it some other time." He said. "I'm Head Boy."

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

If he takes me to the hospital wing, Pomfrey will confirm that I have no fever - and and and -

"Cho!" I immediately boomed as I saw a pretty girl with long silky hair pass by.

For the first time in my bloody life, I was happy to see her.

She stopped.

"Uh ... yes?"

"Cho, Cho will take me!" I told Cedric desperately.

"Cho?" He raised his eyebrow. "I didn't know you were that close."

"Well ... everyone's a friend when you're a girl." I said.

"Uh ... what?" Cho asked.

"What are you having now?" Cedric asked her.

"Nothing, free period." Cho said, smiling at Cedric.

AH, GOOD! LUCK IS ON MY SIDE!

"Will you take me to the hospital wing?" I asked her.

"Uh ... why?" She looked at me half curiously, half grumpily.

"I've got a fever, so ... so ... since you're free ... you can take me there ... while Cedric sits for his test."

Cedric was then called by Professor Flitwick for a moment, and he was explaining the situation.

"Huh - why would I -" Her innocent eyes started to glare at me now that Cedric looked away.

"Because ... Cedric would then have to _hold my hand_, and probably _carry _me _bridal style_ to the hospital wing if I should faint now. So you'd better suck it up and take me there, otherwise I'll take that time trying to seduce Cedric." I challenged her. "Plus, if he sees you taking such good care of me, he'd then realize what a nice girl you are, and stuff like that."

Her eyes widened and suddenly she grabbed me, roughly though, and walked.

"Cedric, I'll take her!" She called out sweetly, pretending to be best friends with me.

"Oh." He said, surprised. "Oh, alright then ... Um, take care Zia. Please get well soon."

"Of course." I said.

It was awkward.

And weird.

To be walking with Cho.

You could cut the tension with a knife.

But at least ... I finally got myself off!

Thank God.

Unfortunately for Cho through, she efforts ended halfway before I decided that I was 'feeling better' and that my 'temperature was going down'.

"What? You made me walk right up here, and then all of a sudden you say you're feeling better?" She said angrily.

"Yes, I am. Think of it this way, I walked all the way here too, so obviously I sweated a bit. That's enough to cool me down, right?"

She glared at me.

"You." She smirked. "You're doing this just to skip the test, aren't you?"

Hmm, I'm impressed!

I could never have thought of a better reason.

"No." I said just for the sake of it.

"You," She started laughing. "You actually -"

"Now, now, don't need to tell on Cedric. I'll put in a good word for you." I walked away.

As much as I thought I should have thanked her for saving my ass, I didn't.

I thanked myself, and my wits.

Ha!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I told Anita what happened after she came back, and she also, for the first time said "Thank God for Cho."

"Are you feeling better?" Cedric stopped by on the way out of the Great Hall.

"Much better, thank you." I said. "How was the test?"

"Fair."

"You'll pass." I said.

"Cho was saying some weird stuff about you faking your fever because you didn't want to take the test."

"Oh, I -"

"I didn't believe her, she must have been joking. I saw you study didn't I?" He smiled.

"Yeah ... yeah ..." I said, laughing my brains off inwardly.

"Hmm." He smiled. "Anyways, I'm glad you're feeling all better."

"Thanks, Cedric." I said, ignoring the looks Anita was sending me.

"See you." He waved and went off to attend to his prefect duties.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**Chapter Nine sneak peek:**

_**"I knew you weren't sick that day." Cedric grinned and I almost vomited my porridge out.**_

_**I choked and drank a lot of water.**_

Mwahahahahha :)

Reviews please! :D *gives sweets to fans*


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

They say love humbles you, and does not make you proud. Well, I say love stupefies you.

It makes you do stupid things; so stupid beyond words.

"It was so – I was so – what I did was – oh God, I was so – " I clutched my head in frustration, making violent gestures while trying to explain to Anita.

"Okay, woman, chill." She said. "It wasn't so bad, was it? I mean, at least you got out of it."  
"But honestly, it was so … I was so, ARGH!"

I landed face first into my bed and started bashing the pillow.

"Will you hurt me like that if I tell you what you did was probably the right thing to do?" Anita asked timidly.  
I got up and looked at her. "No, but I guess you're right. But … would you have done the same?"  
"Yes, I would. Anything to keep him from finding out it's me. What you did was the most rational thing to do, otherwise you would have been forced to sit next to him and let him find out it was you."

Ah, Anita speaks words of wisdom!

"Now, go and write something for him. Otherwise he'd wonder why his darling admirer stopped writing at the same time you got a 'fever'." Anita suggested.  
"Yes, that's cos his darling admirer is also sick. Its cause is a little something called love." I winked at her.  
"Uh, huh." She grinned at me, nodding. "Cedric is bad for you."

"Yeah, he is too bad for me." I giggled.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Oh man, Cedric is too good for me." I said sadly, watching him eat from my table.

I was in a joyful mood this morning, and when I saw him, my smile just turned upside down.  
Why on earth did I have to fall for him? If I didn't I wouldn't have to cope with this shit. It was so obvious that he will end up with a princess, or some girl somewhat at that level. Or he could possibly have a girlfriend already.

Agh.  
And I know deep inside that this has to end sooner or later, but what makes me sad is that I don't want to.

Anita patted me knowingly with a sad smile.

"Honestly, I am in deep shit and I don't know how to get out of it."  
"There are many fishes out in the sea." Draco said, eating his porridge. "Just to let you know."

"But I want that fish." I pointed at him sadly.

"Why? Is he more delicious than I am?" Draco asked. "Good fishes don't look nice.  
"Don't listen to him." Anita said.

But I wasn't listening to either of them, I was concentrating on Cedric. My head was facing my food, but my eyes were on him.

_What would happen if you know it's me? What would you do? Would you –_

He suddenly looked up.  
"Oh, shi –" I looked away.

"What? What?" Anita asked.  
"How is it that he always notices whenever I stare at him?" I scooped my porridge.  
Anita looked towards Cedric, who was now talking to his friend.  
"Coincidence?" She answered.  
"Maybe it's because you make it so god damn obvious." Draco rolled his eyes, staring lazily at me.  
"What? How?" I asked.

"Well, you sort of … purse your lips, and then you stare in a way that expresses something."  
"What, really?"  
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I notice it too!" Anita said, smiling. "It's like we always know when you're staring at a girl or a boy."  
"The hell." I laughed.  
"Yes, and it's so obvious." Draco added. "You don't even know how to hide it."

"Yes, I do." I defended myself, and proceeded to look at Cedric.  
"See, it's that face again." Draco pointed. "God damn obvious, sheesh." He got up, grabbed his bag and waved.

Pansy came. She wanted to go after Draco, but changed her mind and sat next to Anita, opposite me.

"Talking about Cedric again, eh?" She giggled, grabbing a biscuit.  
She knew what was going on, but didn't tell anybody else. Trust a Slytherin not to reveal secrets of their own kind. Heh.

"What else." I whispered sadly.  
"I can totally understand why girls would fall for Cedric." She reminded me.  
Anita rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Tell me about it." I said sarcastically.  
"He is handsome, popular, multi-talented, charming – did I mention handsome?" She continued.  
"Hngh." I got so irritated that I felt like slapping her and myself, or some random person.

"Never mind, do your best. As I am with Draco."  
"You're failing terribly, and that must be a sign that I have no chance with Cedric." I told her.

She was silent for a while.  
"Actually, I agree on that. Not on the part with Draco, but on your part with Cedric. I can tell, just by looking at him, what sort of girl he likes."  
I turned to her.

"Pretty, effeminate, smart, noble, brave …" She said. "Most probably a Gryffindor, or probably a Ravenclaw. Definitely not a Slytherin."

I didn't know what to say, I was hurt a little.  
"Really." I said flatly.  
"Yes, I can see it."

"Don't listen to these people." Anita snapped again.  
"Don't worry, Zi." Pansy patted my shoulder. "There are many other fishes out in the sea."

I slammed the table with my fist.

"Why does everybody keep saying that? What if, I am a picky fisherman, and I don't look at the sea and think of so many other choices? What if I already specified what sort of fish I want and which one I want?" I said hotly. "Hasn't anybody ever thought of that?"

Pansy looked at me in shock, and Anita looked at me, amazed.

It was like I had a ray of light shining from behind me.

"I guess I should start to. I'm leaving for class; you two should go too, otherwise Snape would be pissed." Pansy retreated.

She left and I was still feeling angry, irritated and sad all at the same time. I was massaging the temples of my head when Anita started smiling.  
"What?" I asked.  
"Way to say it, sister!" She grinned even wider.  
"Why, thank you very much." I started grinning too.

"Damn." She laughed. "I could never have said it that way."  
"Blame my imagination." I said, getting up. "We should go, otherwise I might throw a 'what if I already picked what time I want to go to class and which class I want to go to' at Snape."

Anita laughed as she grabbed her bag and got out of her seat.

Potions class was unbearable, like any other day. I tried to keep myself awake, and at the same time nudging Anita awake every time her head hits the book.

I gave up, and I took out a black note and started writing.

_Hello, Cedric._

I watched it disappear and awaited a response. In mere seconds, it appeared.

_Hello, stranger._

I smiled lazily, slowly recovering from my sleepiness.

_What are you up to? I'm bored in class._

Cedric: _That's why you decided to think of me?_

Me: _No, I think of you all the time._

Cedric: _Flattering, indeed. I think about you all the time too._

At this, my heart skipped madly, and I shook Anita so violently I think her eyes got dislocated.

"What?" She asked sleepily.  
I pointed happily at the note, and she squealed soundlessly, followed by a "oh my god" squeak.

Me: _Oh, do you? You realize that just made my day?_

Cedric: _That's good. How about you make my day in return too?_

Me: _How do you want me to?_

Cedric: _ Meet me?_

I stared at it blankly.

Me: _How are your classes going so far?_

Cedric: _Please?_

Me: _Not today, my love. You'll have to forgive me._

There was a long pause. He didn't reply. And I thought, "agh, I screwed up."

I was ready to sink into a gloomy, sulky mood, already burying my head in my arms.

Then the sound of paper was heard in front of me.  
I smiled in relief.

Cedric: _Classes are fine. I suppose Snape is boring you to tears?_

Me: _Yes! How did you know that I had classes with Snape today?_

Cedric: _You told me you are in Slytherin, didn't you? I remember every detail you state about yourself, in attempt to slowly gather about who you are. I'm half self-investigating and half trying to persuade you to tell me who you are. But I'm on the verge of failing at both._

I laughed at this.

Me: _Well then, I must be doing a pretty good job at being a secret admirer, don't you think?_

Cedric: _You're forgetting one part of the job that is of the utmost importance, admirer._

Me: _And what is that?_

Cedric: _To reveal who you are after a certain period of time._

Me: _Soon, darling. Soon._

"Class dismissed." Snape snarled from the front, disgusted by happy faces that looked up at him before leaving.

"What do you plan on having for lunch today? I've tried everything until I don't know what I want to try anymore." Anita said, rubbing her stomach.  
"I don't know. I'm still craving for that porridge that I didn't finish this morning. I'll probably have that." I said, feeling my own stomach growl.

**-** -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"It's that damned face again." Draco smiled fondly, telling Anita.

Anita looked at me and started grinning.

"Stop it." I said, while watching Cedric eat.  
"You stop it." Draco pushed me playfully.

I pushed his face in return.

"Stop ogling and perhaps, if you like, reply to this note." Draco waved a white note in front of me.  
"Oh, shit, I totally forgot about it."

I snatched it away and took out a quill.

I wrote, 'Swell, what about yours?' in answer to his 'How has your day been so far?'

"Poor fellow, being ignored the whole time by you. You cruel, cruel girl." Draco clicked his tongue.  
I ignored him.

"What, you're ignoring me too? That makes you even crueler." He said with petulance.  
"Oh shit!" I exclaimed and immediately looked down at my porridge.  
"He caught you again?" Anita asked.

"Yeah, he did." I stuffed porridge into my mouth.  
"You know, I'm starting to wonder whether you're doing this on purpose, whether you actually like or enjoy being caught." Draco said in wonder.  
"At this rate she will never finish her porridge and will forever be craving for it." Anita stated.

I concentrated on my porridge.

"Hey, look, he's staring at you now." Draco said. "It's nice to see that you two understand each other, taking shifts on who takes watch and who eats."  
"Shut up, Draco." I shook my head.  
"No, really, I'm not joking."

I didn't dare to look up.

I kept on eating, hoping to finish my porridge quickly so I can stare at him in peace.

"Zia." A happy, calm voice called from my left.

I looked up and turned into stone for a brief moment.  
"C-Cedric!" I exclaimed.  
"Hello, you." He greeted back.

"What's up?" I said lamely.  
"Nothing's up, just wanted to come by and say hi. Are you doing well?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. Just recovered." I inwardly laughed at myself for lying.

Cedric let out a short laugh and looked down at his shoes.

"What?" I asked him.

He leaned in a bit and whispered in my ear.  
"I knew you weren't sick that day." Cedric grinned and I almost vomited my porridge out.

I choked and drank a lot of water.

"Are you alright?"  
I nodded while still swallowing lots of water, sending Anita an alarmed look, who did the same.

"Y-yeah." I said coarsely.  
"I guess that proves it, then." He looked at me in amusement.

Shit.

Cedric was still smiling.

"I, err, err, I …" I stuttered, feeling hot around my ears.  
"I stalked - no, I followed you the other day."

I sent Anita an uncomfortable look, and she had a clear oh-my-god look.

"Oh, did you?" I asked.  
"Yeah, I found it strange that you and Cho suddenly were glued together – it was very unbelieving. I knew you didn't like her. So I decided to follow you."

Oh my God.

Did I talk about Cedric at that point? Oh my God. Oh my God. Is this it? Is he going to just find out that it's me, JUST LIKE THAT?!

Oh God, kill me now!

"You know … if you wanted to skip the test, you could have just told me." He grinned toothily.

"Err, what?" I was not sure I had heard correctly.  
"You can be honest with me. I know I'm Head Boy and stuff like that, but don't let that stop you from telling me."  
"Well, I err – I don't know what to say."

But, HALLELUJAH!!!

"Don't treat me like a stranger or different because I'm Head Boy; just treat me as, well – how you usually treat me. Like the normal Cedric." He shrugged.

"Uh, okay, Cedric. From now on I will let you know whenever I'm too lazy to finish my homework, and to study for tests, and whenever I flunk my tests." I nodded at him, smiling in relief.  
"Isn't that better?"

I nodded and Cedric sat next to me. His back was facing the table.

"So, have you found out who your admirer is yet?" Cedric asked with a cheeky smile.

At this Draco barged into the conversation, uninvited.

"Why do _you_ want to know?" He pushed my back to the front, as he strained his neck to get to a face-to-face level with Cedric. Draco stared intently at Cedric, not blinking.

Cedric stared at Draco for a while, and then grinned coolly.

"Chill mate, just curious. Aren't you curious?" He stated, still keeping eye contact with Draco.  
"I am. But I have a good reason to be. I can't find any good ones as to why you should be." Draco smirked, raising his eyebrows.

"Okay Mr. Busybody." I glared at Draco.  
"I'd prefer it if you called me Mr. Sexybody or something." Draco huffed, resuming to his original position.

Cedric laughed, and he got up.

He patted my back gently, and I inwardly gasped.

I gasped like I've never gasped in my entire life – I was out of control.

"See you around, Zia." He smiled.

Okay, no, don't leave me!!!  
But wait, rewind.

He touched me, oh my God, he touched me! OH MY FRIGGIN BARBEQUED GRASS. OH MY FREAKIN' TOMATOES! Must. Preserve.

Do not wash uniform!  
Must hang in frame! Must worship as shrine!

As I watched his back disappear, I was silent the whole time.

The Great Hall was crowded with people and noise, and Draco and Anita were arguing about something, but I couldn't hear or see anything that was going on, except that back of the one I like slowly drift far away from me, and I wonder …

Do I want to go on with this forever? Will he ever find out? But at the same, I was praying that he wouldn't.

It was all so complicated, all so tiring to think about. I brought myself into this mess, and I can't get myself out of it.

He's the only one who can help me.

But I'm not sure whether I want him to.

A black note suddenly appears in front of me, and I opened it.

_How long are you going to make me wait?_

That was the only note from Cedric that I never replied to.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**Chapter Ten sneak peek:**

"_**I see you're out after hours again." Cedric said from behind.**_

_**I turned around and felt that familiar feeling of butterflies in my stomach, and my face smiling in happiness.**_

"_**Where are you going?" He asked.  
"Oh, I'm actually – the secret admirer told me to come and meet him. He said he wanted to show himself to me." I said, rather worried about the outcome.**_

"_**Really? I'll go with you."  
"What? No, no, that's not really necessary. But thank you for your concern." I gently patted his arm, just because I felt like touching him – HAHA!**_

"_**Let me come with you." He looked at me with concern, his eyes shining from the little light emitting from his wand. **_

"_**But why?" I was touched, honestly, but then I just had to ask him.**_

_**He looked at me for a moment.  
"Because –"**_

HAHA! : D

I just had to do that :D Don't we all just love sneak peeks?

*gives everybody dark chocolate*

Reviews, I love them.

(Anyways, most of you who had read my previous message have encouraged me to go beyond staring and start doing something about his number. One word; STALK as Zia did.

I think he already acknowledges my existence – but I think the problem is me. How do I sustain that attention and bring it to another level without making a complete arse out of myself?

If I start texting him, what would I say?

I know this sounds like I'm writing to female magazine, but lol, I really have no clue.)


	11. Chapter 10

**Thank you for supporting and reviewing!**

**I dedicate this chapter to all of you readers, and Audrey the goofball.**

**Chapter Ten**

It was a beautiful, chilly morning.

Snow had already begun to fall and everything looked perpetually white and heavenly.

"Cut the crap." I snapped angrily at the voice in my head - which in the middle of a poetry recital - as I gazed at the window sleepily.

I got up, sleep-slowed and tried to figure out what sort of mood I was in that day.

I was in the mood for Cedric.

Lots and lots of Cedric.

I smiled to myself.

"That's so scary." A voice came from my right.

Anita was looking at me with her eyes wide.

"What?"  
"You! You woke up looking like you wanted to murder somebody, and then all of a sudden you start to smile to yourself. It's scary." Anita said solemnly.

I paused.

Then I thought of Cedric again.

"Hmmm." The ends of my lips started to curve into a smile. "Did I?"

"There, you're doing it again!" She pointed at me. "Yeek!" She stood up and looked at me, bewildered as she grabbed her towel to go to the bathroom.

It was the last day of classes before Christmas break, and I can't help but be sad at the fact that I won't be seeing Cedric for three weeks. Three weeks is a long time ...

"Quick, get ready." Said Anita-the-Mother. "Otherwise we'll be late again."

"What do you mean again?"  
"We're never on time, in case you haven't noticed. So, if you still want to catch a glimpse of Cedric during breakfast, I suggest you get ready. And fast."

"Alright!" I grinned and got up to my feet almost immediately. "Nothing beats a daily dosage of Cedric's smile to last me for the rest of the day!"

By the time I had finished showering, Anita was already waiting for me in the Common Room. I fumbled with my buttons, always getting them in the wrong holes and groaned at every second I waste, when I could have been using them to drool over Cedric. As I was lost in my own la-la-winter-wonderland, a black note with golden, neat, handwriting caught my eye. It was Cedric's note that I never replied to.

I stared at it.

_How long are you going to make me wait?_

"Are you okay?" Anita asked me suddenly as we were walking to the Great Hall.

"Hmm? Yeah?" I looked at her, eyes glassy, unfocused.

"No, you're not. This morning you were acting like a serial rapist who's seen the hottest girl in town, and then now you're as down as the ground." She noted.

"Oh, I ..." I paused. "Nothing."

_How long are you going to make me wait?_

If he finds out anyway, he'll just ignore me anyways. It has always been like that.

My crushes either end up disastrously, or - abruptly.

He'll say that he liked me better as a friend, and, and ... he'll say that -

"Hello Zia." He passed by outside the Great Hall entrance, saying his morning greeting with a gentle, tender ring to it. It gave me - and everybody else - the same warm, appreciative feeling. That is just how Cedric works. Everybody loves him. Everybody can't help it. Cedric, as usual, looked very smart in his uniform, tie perfectly knotted, hair perfectly tousled (however you put it), face glowing and radiant as ever, smile as I'm-A-Heartthrob-ish as usual, eyes gleaming with happiness and contentment. The Perfect Prefect. The Head Boy.

The one who would never return my feelings.

I should have known the very first time I decided to send him those love notes.

Well actually, I was aware of that, but the thing is - my heart can be likened to that of a phoenix. It dies after getting hurt, and then it turns into ashes. And after a while, it just resurrects.

It's a never-ending vicious circle.

When will the day come, when Cedric tells me that he -

"You," He stopped in front of me. "Should wear your tie properly."

He gently grabbed my tie, fixing it.

- doesn't -

"Alright?" He grinned at me, still working at it.

- want -

"There, it's all done. Keep it in good shape, I'll be checking." He patted my shoulder.

"Me." I whispered.

"Pardon?" He leaned in.

"No, nothing." I said in surprise. "T-thanks." I touched his shoulder and walked away awkwardly, refusing to see him a second more otherwise I'll start sobbing.

I sat down inside the hall, quietly, thinking deeply.

A soothing hand ran down my back.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Anita asked.

"Nothing, just feeling emo." I said sadly.

EMO.

Hah.

A word I thought I would never use.

"Hiya, toots." Draco climbed in opposite us, face dropping after seeing my semi-about-to-whine-because-I'm-sad-over-Cedric face.

"Oh no, what did he do now? Want me to kick his arse?" He said, munching on some bread.

"No, I'll be even more depressed." I whined, playing with my food.

A pause.

"Well ... can I touch it?" Draco asked.

My head shot up as fast as I could and I glared at him. "No! It's mine!" A lot of heads turned to me at my proclamation of branding Cedric's arse as mine.

"That's the spirit!" He chuckled, grabbing another slice of toast.

"Sheesh." I grinned at Draco's strange ways of cheering me up. "But thanks."

"Nah, it's alright. You know I love you two long time, right?" He said, going all fake goo-goo eyes.

"Yeah, me love you long time too." I grinned back.

"Cut the crap, my IQ is decreasing and I'm degenerating by the second." He shivered.

Draco was not much for serious affections and love talks, as you can see.

"So what was wrong with you? You looked like you were about to kiss him and cry at the same time when he fixed your tie." He asked.

"Just thinking that he wouldn't want me if I told him it was me." I smiled.

"You don't know that!" Anita slapped my wrist.

"I know. I do know, trust me. You guys know me well enough to know, right? Things are always like this."

Like I said, it's either like a piece of paper that's filled with writings, but later torn into small pieces - or, it is written only half of the page, without a full stop.

They both kept quiet.

"And plus, Christmas break is starting. So yeah, let me bask in my romanticism for Cedric before all things fall into disaster." I grinned broadly. At that moment, Cedric stepped in with other prefects following from behind, as he was telling them about something. They all followed him religiously and even sat nearby, some of them furiously scribbling some notes.

A white note came flying from the Great Hall entrance, and landed clumsily in Draco's plate.

"Oh my!" He faked a gasp. "For me? Wow! I can't believe it, who could it be?" He raised his hands in a mock fangirl wave.

I rolled my eyes at him and opened the note.

_After hours, Astronomy Tower. Will be waiting for you, Zia._

_- Yours._

"Whoa, okay." My eyes widened after finished reading it, feeling a nervous tinge run down my spine. "Err ..."

Draco snatched away and read it.

"Wow, finally, one admirer with balls to reveal himself!" Draco gave me an I'm-mocking-you look.

"Should you?" Anita asked me, sending me a worried look.

"Why shouldn't she?" Draco sent her a disbelieving look. "She should find out who's been following her night and day, watching her every move, knowing every breath she takes, never failing to catch her in a crowd, and he might be around her all the time, only she doesn't know, and now's the best time for her to find out ..."

"You always manage to make things sound either very scary, or very disgusting." I frowned at him.

He sent me a smug look.

"And that somehow reminded me of The Police's Every Breath You Take."

"Yes, and that should be yours and Diggory's wedding song."

"Geez, whoever said we're going to get married?" I retorted, somehow liking the idea. Anita continued to make me blush by nudging me.

I am a hypocrite.

"Every single day, every word you say, every game you play, every night you stay ..." Draco hummed. And suddenly his eyes shot up to me. "I'll be watching you." He ended it with a teasing grin.

"I think if I had an admirer like you I'd run away and scream like a banshee." I told him.

"What if I was Diggory, and I was the one who said that to you?"

"Oh my God!" I squealed and my face turned red as I lit up.

"Sheesh!" Draco said. "Girls are such hypocrites."

Just then, a person with that same devastatingly green eyes passed by, watching us all the while. I looked up and saw Harry Potter. He smiled at me, and nodded.

I smiled back, albeit with an awkward silence in my head.

"What was that?" Draco asked me.

"I dunno, he smiles at me, sometimes ..."

"Pfft." Draco rolled his eyes at his rival. "Anyways. You. You'd better get your arse to the Astronomy Tower. Watch out if you don't."

"Oooh, I don't know whether to be scared of my admirer or you now." I faked a scared tone.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous.

Okay, I'm calm.

No.

I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. I'm nervous.

"Chill, will you?" Anita laughed, but her face gave it away, she was as nervous as I am.

"Err, yeah ... I will ..."

"You still have a lot of time to cool down ..." She reassured, despite of the fact that she wasn't that calm either.

And then the Common Room turned dark, and the only light source we had was the fire, which was getting dim - marking that it was after hours already.

"Okay, maybe not." I told her.

"Relax, okay?"

"Yeah ... sure ... err ... I think," I gulped. "I should go now?"

"Okay ... um ... good luck! I'll be waiting!" Anita said.

"Thanks." I said shakily, walking towards the door.

"It's dark." I whispered to myself as soon as I was outside. "Duh, of course it's dark ... Oh God, I'm not thinking straight, what the hell. _Lumos._ Shit. Barely a second outside I'm already talking to myself. Okay, stop talking now. Now. Okay. Shh ..."

I almost slapped myself at the stupid conversation I had ... with myself.

"Where the fuck is the Astronomy Tower again..." I asked myself.

"It's straight ahead, and you turn left, before taking the steps up." A voice said from behind.

"Right, thanks." I muttered, walking straight.

And then I suddenly stopped.

What the fuck?

"Hello?" I called out.

"Hi. _Lumos._" The voice answered.

"I see you're out after hours again." Cedric said from behind.

I turned around and felt that familiar feeling of butterflies in my stomach, and my face smiling in happiness, my eyes meeting his beautiful face. The light from his wand highlighted his features excellently. From the hair dangling on his forehead, to the thick set of eyebrows, the serious I'm-Head-Boy eyes, his chiseled nose ... the curve of his lips ...

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm actually – the secret admirer told me to come and meet him. He said he wanted to show himself to me." I said, rather worried about the outcome.

"Really? I'll go with you."

"What? No, no, that's not really necessary. But thank you for your concern." I gently patted his arm, just because I felt like touching him – HAHA!

"Let me come with you." He looked at me with concern, his eyes shining from the little light emitting from his wand.

"But why?" I was touched, honestly, but then I just had to ask him.

He looked at me for a moment.

"Because -"

"Hmm?" I anticipated.

"Because I care for you." He said seriously, with his eyebrows knitted in concern.

My heart started thumping madly.

OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD.

"Oh, I - I - I ..."

"You're my friend, Zia. How can I let you go alone to meet a potientally, uh, unknown person -"

"What are you assuming?" I raised an eyebrow at him, smiling.

"I don't know, dangerous, psychotic, and mental? Who knows he might take advantage of you or something like that." He said hastily.

"Oh, so any guy who secretly admires me has a mental problem, eh?" I accused him.

"No, that wasn't what I was saying!" He laughed.

"Uh huh."

"Not exactly." He grinned toothily.

"And I suppose you think your admirer is probably not?" I retorted.

"Yes, I have a feeling she's a nice person."

Uh huh. Do you, now?

She's not potentially dangerous, psychotic and mental. She is all of it.

Did I mention that I know her in person?

Yeah, we're like, best buddies! Nobody knows her like I do!

L.O.L.

"Mmhmm." I grinned at him.  
"But still, mine is a woman. She can't be that dangerous to me."

I almost started a verbal battle of the sexes, but I shut up and thought about something else.

Oh yes, of course, who wouldn't melt in your strong arms ... anyone who would want to start a fight with you would submit themselves to you ... Ooh.

"Yours, on the other hand, is a man. You know men nowadays." He persuaded.

"Hmmm ..." I said. "I know, Anita also said the same thing."

"Exactly. Which is why you, a girl, shouldn't go alone." He said matter-of-factly.

"You don't think I would be able to handle it, should any of these mishaps occur?" I smirked.

"I wouldn't doubt that, but seriously, let me accompany you. At least until I check him out, to see whether he's a nice bloke, and you know ... I'll leave after that."

I looked at him.

Go to meet admirer alone, or spend more time with Cedric?

"Alright." I told him.

"Good." He grinned.

"Come on, he might be rotting out there while we're discussing petty issues here."

"I'd like to see what he looks like." He said as we walked side by side.

"When he rots?" I asked him.

"No, no, I mean, in general."

"Oh."

Wow, I sounded so intelligent.

"It's fun being friends with Head Boy." I grinned. "I get to go out after hours, and not get penalized."

"You're just lucky I'm in a let's-find-out-who-Zia's-admirer-is mood. Otherwise ..." He sent me a warning look.

"Okay, okay." I held up my hands.

"On the other hand, when I'm going to find out who _my _admirer is, you'll be the first to know. And I'll drag you along too."

That's not possible.

How are you supposed to drag me along to meet me?

WHOA.

Maybe I should apply for that cloning thing.

Or pay somebody to pretend to be me.

Yeah, that's good.

Got to save some money now!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"What time is it now?" I asked him, realizing that I had forgotten my watch.

"A quarter past midnight." He said.

There we were, just the two of us, in the Astronomy Tower, in the dark.

The only light we had was from our wands and from the stars from the ceiling.

Quite romantic.

It's like a date!

I started giggling to myself.

"What? Why are you laughing?" Cedric asked, turning to face me. He was sitting right beside me, against the wall.

"Nothing." I grinned wider.

Thank God for the dark! No blushes can be seen now!

"Hmmm." I sighed, still smiling.

"You think he's going to turn up?" He asked.

"I dunno. It's already past midnight."  
"Oh, well. If he doesn't, don't be upset, alright? Something must have come up." He consoled.

"Yeah."

Frankly speaking, I had forgotten that we came here to meet my admirer.

Jeez.

I was so engrossed in talking to Cedric, and have small talks and laughing that I had forgotten about my admirer.

Oh my God, I'm such a cruel person.

Doesn't matter.

Cedric. Matters.

"Hmmmm." It was his turn to sigh.

"Sorry, this must be boring you to tears."

"No, it's not, actually. That was me feeling at peace." He remarked.

"Oh, really?" I looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes. I came here voluntarily, remember?"

I nodded.

"Plus, it isn't all that bad. I actually forgot what we were here for." He said.

I held my breath for a second.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Being with you is fun." He nodded. "Not the exhausting fun, it's more like a peaceful sort of fun."

My insides warmed up at what he said, and I smiled to myself, staring at my shoes.

"It's mutual then." I admitted.

He looked at me and grinned.

What about mutual attraction?!

I looked up at the ceiling and watched the stars, and suddenly had a mental picture of me and Cedric cuddling, watching and pointing at the stars like in cheesy romantic movies.

Oh, God.

I started laughing and shook the almost-disgusting image out of my head.

"What now?" He asked me again, curious.

"Nothing, nothing."

"Looks like I was mistaken. You're the potentially dangerous, psychotic and mental - and disturbed one." He shook his head.

"Maybe." I grinned.

Yes! I am disturbed by you!

And I like it.

Which makes me even more disturbed!

_You spin me right 'round, baby_

_Right 'round like a record, baby_

_Right 'round, 'round, 'round _

After a long while, I told Cedric, "Okay, looks like he isn't going to turn up."

He didn't say anything, he just sighed.

"Oh, well. Shall we take our leave then?" I said, standing up.

"Probably. I'm leaving early in the morning, and I haven't packed." He grinned.

"In the morning? So soon?" I almost stopped in the middle of walking back towards the dungeons.

My insides were protesting.

No! Not yet!

"Yeah. My father insisted I come home as soon as school ends. So ... yes ..."

"Aww." I frowned, but my insides were already hysterically crying.

"I know. I'll only see you after three weeks."

I know! Sob.

"Well, there'll always be owls." I suggested.

"Yeah, you're right!" He smiled. "You'd better write."

"Me? You'd better."

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

We're going to owl each other!

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

I'm going to owl Cedric Diggory.

"I will. You make sure you do." He grinned.

"I will." I grinned back.

And before we knew it, we were already in front of the dungeons.

What the hell?!

Why is everything so short?!

Short walks, short times with Cedric!

Long, long, long holidays!

SO UNFAIR.

"Okay, so ... be seeing you soon?" Cedric said, his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah." I swallowed.

Oh my God. Don't cry now. Save it for another two minutes!

BOO HOO HOO.

"Goodnight, Cedric." I forced a smile, forcing my eyes to hold back the tears.

"Sweet dreams."

"Yeah, sure."

Of you.

I stood there like an idiot, and then all of a sudden he stepped forward and caught me in a warm, bear hug.

OH.

MY.

GOD.

I AM DEAD.

I AM IN HEAVEN NOW.

I could smell Cedric's shampoo, soap, or whatever he uses to make him smell so delicious - and it was the smell of heaven!

I could feel the warmth emitting from his body and his arms, which were tight around me, as I was pressed against his chest.

I could feel Cedric.

"I'm going to miss you." He grinned as he pulled away.

"Yeah, me too."

Lots and lots.

And I'm going to cry now.

I forced myself to walk back to the dungeons' entrance, before I start throwing myself crazily at him and crying like there's no tomorrow, and wetting his shirt by doing so.

Hmm ... Wetting his shirt doesn't sound that bad. He'll have to remove it if it was wet. WOOHOO!

I snapped out of my thoughts and opened the dungeon door, glancing back at him.

"Write." He pointed at me.

"Alright, alright." I grinned, and I shut the door.

"Zi?" Anita's voice called out in the dark.

I immediately ran to her and told her EVERYTHING, and I had to stop for a moment to stop myself from crying out of happiness, sadness, Cedricness, whatever.

"So that asshole didn't turn up?" Anita fumed.

"Yeah, well ... it might be mean, but I was actually thankful for him not showing up. I got to spend time with Cedric."

Again, sadness stabbed me, and I sighed heavily.

As a friend, huh.

Oh well, it doesn't matter if it's only as friends right? It's better than having nothing at all.

We were getting ready for bed, when a small white note caught my sight. It was sitting neatly on my side desk.

I tore it open and read.

_Sorry, I couldn't show myself. I saw you with Cedric Diggory and decided not to._

"What the hell?" I said.

"Did he misunderstand the whole thing or what?" Anita asked.

"I have no idea."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_**Chapter Eleven sneak peek:**_

_**"Umm, Zia?" A voice called from behind.**_

_**I turned, and my eyes widened.**_

_**"Yes, Potter?" I asked in surprise.**_

_**"I need to talk to you about something."**_

_**"Uh, yeah, sure?"**_

_**  
Wow, this is completely strange.**_

_**"I've always wanted to tell you something."**_

_**"Yes? What is it?" I asked, curious. Why would Harry Potter talk to me? And why?**_

_**"It's ... I, uh ..."**_

_**"Yes, Potter?" I pressed on.**_

_**"Agh, I can't do this."**_

_**"What? Why?"**_

_**"It's ... no ... it's unfair for you ... for him, even."**_

_**"For who?"**_

_**"Cedric Diggory."**_

_**And then he muttered a quick 'sorry' and left.**_

Hehehehehehehe! :D :D :D :D :D

*gives everybody cookies*

Again, I love reviews a lot, they keep me and the story going :D

Love you all loads xx


	12. Chapter 11

I've been so busy with college, so sorry! I'm back home now, so I have a lot of time in my hands, hopefully I'll update every few days! :D

*gives presents to readers*

**Chapter Eleven**

_Come live in my heart, and pay no rent._

A single tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it off with my free hand as I watched the black note disappear. As I looked to my right, I knew it was too late. Anita had seen me.

"Hey, hey ... are you okay?" She knelt next to my bed.

"Yeah. No." I said as another tear fell, and I smiled at her with tear-blurred eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing, just thinking about Cedric." I laughed. "What's new, huh?"

She smiled sadly.

"It's just that ... I've probably never liked someone as much as I liked him. I keep telling myself 'he's the one, he's the one!' when I know that I really shouldn't get myself too involved in it. But then again I've always had the tendency to get things broken." I tapped my chest. "My heart, especially."

"Don't say that ..." Anita said sadly.

"No ... you know. You know very well how things work with me. I've liked so many people, and I've got hurt by so many people. It's just the same thing. Same shit, different people."

She kept quiet.

"But honestly, with Cedric ... I've, seriously, never liked anyone as much as I like him. I know it might sound cheesy and stuff, but sometimes when I look at him, I imagine having a family with him, our own house ... silly stuff."

She laughed, tearing up herself.

"It's love." She grinned.

I looked at her in bewilderment. "No way."

"It is. When you start thinking about those things you've said earlier, it is love."

"What is love anyway?" I groaned.

"Cedric. Cedric's love." She smiled at me.

I stared at her for a moment.

"You know, to be his friend was all I ever wanted, but maybe ... being able to call him my own was all I ever dreamed."

"Who knows, sweetie?"

"No, I know already. It's just that I'm wondering how long this will continue until it will all stop."

"Wish that it wouldn't, then."

"It will, trust me. I'm not being negative -" At this she shot me a look. "But seriously, I know ... he's going to break my heart."

She shook her head and looked away. "No." She said. "No. Cedric's different. He won't."

"Hmph." I laughed.

Yeah, right.

At night, before I go to sleep, I pray that somehow, Cedric will be mine.

Then I think about how it would feel like when someone wants you, but you don't want them - and you're forced to.

That sucks, badly.

The worst thing is holding on to someone who doesn't want to be held on to.

* * *

The next morning, a reply came.

_When am I able to meet the landlady to discuss this?_

I laughed, but I was sad at the same time.

"When are you going to tell him?" Anita asked.

"Soon." I told her, guilty for using the same line as I did for Cedric.

Her silence made me turn to look at her, and I was expecting her to have a Yeah-right look, but she appeared to be concerned with something else.

"What?" I asked her.

Her head snapped back to me. "Oh, nothing. It's just that -" She stopped again.

"Huh?" I looked at her curiously.

"It's just that ..." She turned to me. "Don't look, okay ... but Potter keeps looking here - don't look!" She said.

I arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I dunno, but he's been at it ever since we came in."

"Oh?" I said, confused.

"Do you think that -"  
"No, I don't think he's -"

"The secret admirer?"

"No, hell no! Impossible." I exclaimed, drawing attention from everybody else within a 3-metre radius.

That would be ... weird.

Like ... WHY?

I would be more appalled than gleeful. Not appalled at him, more at myself.

I would first ask, 'why do you like me anyways?' or 'what's so special about me?', 'are you fucking blind, man?!', 'what the hell is wrong with you?', etc. instead of the usual 'I never knew, since when have you liked me?' or some other cheesy stuff.

If it had been Cedric, on the other hand, I would be so cheesy that I would put Cheddar cheese out of business.

Hmm ... Cedric.

That familiar warm feeling in my chest.

I immediately started thinking of lines to write to him, while imagining him holding a small boy's hand, walking around in the park ...

Dear Cedric, can I have a picture of you so I can show Santa what I want for Christmas?

Cedric, I wish you were my homework so I could just slam you onto my table and do you all night.

OKAY, maybe not, that sounds too wrong. Sick. Very sick.

But that was a good one though. Mental note taken!

I guess I'll go with the first one.

While I was writing, I stopped mid-sentence.

Will he really answer? Or is he going to ignore it? Or say something mean in return?

All of a sudden, I heard a voice at the back of my head which sounded like Anita's, saying 'Screw it, you've got nothing to lose!'.

I smiled to myself, and looked at Anita, who was smiling at me with her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, I did say it to you loudly."

"Oh, I thought I heard it from the back of my head."

"Of course. Cedric's occupying most of the space in your head anyway."

"Heehee." I grinned and continued writing.

Yeah, I've got nothing to lose anyway.

I folded it and watched as it disappeared, aware that I totally ignored his question.

"Hey, let's go. I need to pack." Anita said. "YOU need to pack. We're leaving the day after tomorrow, in case you forgot."

I nodded and stood up, walking out of the Great Hall.

Anita walked directly next to me, but her head was dipped a little, and her eyes was focused on something else.

"What is it?"

"He's watching us. I feel so paranoid!"

I looked at her. "It's no wonder he's been watching us, you've got something stuck on your bum!"

"Really?!" She panicked.

"Yeah, a note written 'Arse'." I grinned.

She slapped my shoulder. "Oh, very funny."

"Seriously, it's probably just nothing. Maybe you catch him at the wrong time and wrong angles. Stop being paranoid. If there's something, he'll come and talk for sure." I reassured her, shutting the Great Hall door behind me.

"Umm, Zia?" A voice called from behind.

I turned, and my eyes widened.

"Yes, Potter?" I asked in surprise.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Uh, yeah, sure?" I shot Anita an uneasy plus surprised look. She nodded and gave me a tell-me-later look before she left.

Wow, this is completely strange.

"I've always wanted to tell you something."

"Yes? What is it?" I asked, curious. Why would Harry Potter talk to me? And why?

"It's ... I, uh ..."

"Yes, Potter?" I pressed on.

"Agh, I can't do this."

"What? Why?"

"It's ... no ... it's unfair for you ... for him, even."

"For who?"

"Cedric Diggory."

And then he muttered a quick 'sorry' and left.

I watched, jaw wide open at his retreating figure.

DUDE.

WHERE YA GOIN?

"Hey!" I called after him.

He turned and threw both of his hands up in the air. "Sorry, I just ... can't do it!"

"Do what?!" I was walking towards him now.

"I can't tell you."

Oh man ... Secrets! I want secrets! Feed me secrets!

"Oh, come on! Just tell."

"No." And he just left.

Okay, that was soooo rude.

RUDE, RUDE, RUDE.

And yes, I am a Slytherin and accusing someone else of being rude.

It's only natural for us arrogant people.

But seriously.

What the hell was that?

And what did it have to do with Cedric Diggory?

Oh. My. God.

Is he the secret admirer?

Which is why he said it's unfair for Cedric Diggory, because ... because ... because he saw us together the other night?!

OH MY GOD.

Harry Potter is the secret admirer?!

I wasn't sure whether my heart was beating out of excitement or shock, or both - or maybe at the fact that he thinks Cedric and I are together.

Well, the last option doesn't sound so bad. But - but - WHAT?!

Shit. I need to stalk Potter and have another 'conversation' with him. Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I'm going to follow him from the moment I see him, catch him alone and corner him.

It sounds like I'm going to rape him, but no.

The only person I dream of raping is Cedric, though physically impossible.

I need answers!

"Give me a straight answer!" I hissed to myself, then all of a sudden, a black note appeared right in front of me.

I caught it immediately and opened it. It wasn't only a black note, something else was included.

I unfolded it ... revealing a picture of Cedric Diggory.

"OH MY GOD!" I squealed after looking at the picture.

A lot of people turned to me, wondering why a Slytherin decided to call for God instead of 'Oh, Snape!'.

I was filled with excitement, happiness and surprise again until I felt like my blood rushed to my head and was going to drip from my nose or eyes or ears.

I HAVE A PICTURE OF CEDRIC DIGGORY.

Then I realised I had been exposing it mid-air, attracting attention. I immediately stuffed it in my robe, feeling myself turn red.

Oh my fucking custard apples.

Seriously.

I'm going to frame it. Preserve it. Look at it every day!

Thus, fulfilling my dream of having Cedric as 'the first thing I look at in the morning and the last before I go to sleep.'

MWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!

I remembered that I haven't read the note, and I brought my attention back to it again.

_Here you go. It's not a very good picture, but it's the best I could find. I'm guessing we have something in common, I've also asked Santa for a specific person for Christmas :-) Merry Christmas._

I didn't know which one dropped first, whether it was my heart, or the note.

It felt as if my heart had escaped and gone on a rampage, attacking the other internal organs.

"What. The. Fuck?"

I wallowed in self-pity for a moment, and tried not to cry.

Then I managed to turn it into anger.

WHO IS SHE?!

Who's that little *censored*?!

A fair girl with beautiful, silky, long, insert beauty-related word here hair caught my attention.

It was Cho, and she was laughing happily with her friends.

Is it her?!

ARGH!

Must. Kill.

I don't know what came over me, but my feet started walking towards her, just as soon as her friends left and she was walking alone.

I was getting closer and closer. She noticed me, and gave me a glare.

"What do you want?" She asked in a bitchy manner.

"Nothing." I smiled fakely. "I just want to -"

All of a sudden, something slipped from my robe and fell onto the ground in between Cho's feet and mine.

And it wasn't my bra.

It was the picture of Cedric.

She looked at it, and looked back at me, in a surprised manner.

I looked back at her with an expression I myself probably wouldn't recognise if I looked into a mirror.

"Holy shit." I muttered.

* * *

_**Chapter Twelve sneak peek:**_

_**"Cedric, I have something to tell you." I spoke nervously, voice shaking.**_

_**"Yes, what is it, Zia?" He smiled.**_

_**"I ... I ... I ... err ..."**_

_**"What is it?" He touched my shoulder.**_

_**OH MY GOD. YOU DO NOT DO THAT.**_

_**I WILL HYPERVENTILATE.**_

_**"Actually, all this while ... I have been ..."**_

Cheers! :D

Merry Christmas in advance! Heehee!

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

*gives everyone chocolates*


	13. Chapter 12

**Merry Christmas everyone! Here's your present :P**

**Chapter Twelve**

"What the hell?" scoffed Cho.

"Err."

I can't explain.

'Oh, I accidentally stuffed a random picture of a boy instead of my bra pad?! Silly me, ha ha ha!'

"Why do you carry a picture of Cedric Diggory?" She looked at me with an expression of curiosity and disgust. "In your robe? Oh my God. You're a freak. I'm so telling."

Okay, Zia.

Think, think, think.

"It's not mine. I just found it in the corridor. Thought some fan girl might have dropped it. I was just keeping it until Cedric comes back so I could give it to him." I said cooly.

Cho gave me a suspicious look.

"Well then, if that's true, why don't you give it to me?" She said, holding out her hand. "I'll give it to him."

WHAT?! NO!

THIS IS MINE!

It's the closest I get to him! Please, no!

"Come on. Give it to me."

At this time, I was close to begging Cho to stop acting like a bitch. But then again, pigs don't fly.

For the first time ever, I actually wanted to be nice to Cho, and get her to change her mind. But nah, don't want to kiss Cho's arse. Ever.

"No. I'll give it myself. I found it, so I'll give it to him."

"Then it should only mean that you carry a picture of him around. Freak."

"Why should I listen to you anyway? If I give it to you, I'm sure that you will keep it for yourself anyways."

"You would do the same." She smiled in a rather bitchy way that makes me want to punch the shit out of her until only five of her teeth remain.

No, you bitch! It's mine to begin with. He gave it to me!

"Oh, shut up." I was going to walk away, but Cho stopped me.

"Ha! You're just like every other girl in here. You're hopelessly in love with Cedric. And you carry a picture of him wherever you go. Creep!"

I was debating whether to punch her, slap her or both at once - but I think my expression gave it away. I felt my cheeks turn hot.

"Oh my God. It's true, isn't it?!" She started laughing maniacally. "I'm telling."

Then all of a sudden, Draco passed by, rushing towards me.

"Hey, Zia." And he shot a disgusted look at Cho. He then looked at the picture that I was holding. "OH MY GOD!" He squealed. He snatched it away and held it against his chest, looking at it every second or so. "It's Ceddykins! Oh my God, oh my God! So handsome!"

And then he ran away, leaving Cho and I confused.

I ran after Draco after a moment of "bonding" and "comfortable silence" with Cho.

And I gave him a huge hug.

"You saved my life." I said. "Literally."

"And your bum." He winked, as he returned the picture to me. "It wasn't that bad, pretending to be gay."

I shot him a look.

"Not like I want to be one. Don't worry." He grinned, and shifted his eyes.

I stared at him.

"Kidding!" He shot me a bewildered look, throwing his hands up in the air. "I still love silky sweet-smelling hair, breasts -"

"Okay, I get it."

"And other things that come along with a female, like a cute set of buns, etcetera."

"A guy can have those attributes as well, can't they?" I teased.

He stared up at the ceiling and pondered in silence.

"Hmmm ... the only guy I could consider turning gay for is ..."

I anticipated his answer, excited to see who has the power to change Draco's sexual orientation.

"Myself." He pressed his hand against his chest in a very snobby manner.

"Pfft." I rolled my eyes. "That's true, though. You narcissist."

"Perhaps I got it from my mother." He winked.

"Oh yeah! Now I see the connection!" I laughed.

We were wandering around aimlessly, waiting for dinner and Anita. We only wake up in the afternoons. Or later. Sleeping all day and staying up all night is our life. Yeah, we are such nocturnal bastards.

"Ugh, Potter." Draco grimaced as he sat down on a bench that was near.

"WHERE?!" I practically shouted, and gaining unnecessary attention yet again.

"There." He pointed at him, who happened to be with Granger and Weasley.

When I caught Potter's eyes, he seemed to straighten from his slouching position, and swallowed, and his cheeks turned red.

It was as if he was expecting me to do something, like walk up to him, demand for him to tell me and threaten to beat the shit out of him if he doesn't ...

WELL THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

"Hey, wait here. I want to know what he wanted to say yesterday." I told Draco.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded. "Oye!" He called out to Anita who was looking for us.

I marched to Potter, and the closer I got, the more tense he got and his friends turned to look at me.

"Good evening." I said, almost too politely, but not forgetting my asshole Slytherin you-are-beneath-me look.

"Evening ..." Potter said timidly, Weasley nodded awkwardly, and Granger glared at me.

"Oh, grow up, Granger. We no longer play I'm-enemies-with-you games, sweetheart. We grow up, in case you didn't notice."

Still, she glared at me.

"How childish. Maybe you haven't grown up at all. That explains the twelve-year old boy's body you've got."

"Why you --" She quickly took out her wand, and was ready to hex me. But I didn't flinch.

"Hey, hey!" Potter yelled, pulling her wand and telling her to stop it, and looking embarrassed when he looked at me.

"Please." He whispered to Granger again, and Granger reluctantly nodded.

"For you. If you didn't have any f -" Granger started.

"Thanks, Hermione." Potter quickly finished, and shifted his eyes at Granger's unfinished sentence. Granger's eyes widened and looked at him in a 'oops' way.

Whoa, whoa. What was that?

"It's alright. At least I'm nice to one of your friends. Right, Mr. Weasley? How are you today?" I smiled at Weasley.

He seemed angry that I said that to Granger, but was caught off guard after my question. "F-fine."

Granger looked constipated all the while. It was as if I was a piece of cow dung, and she didn't like to look at it or smell it, but Potter apparently did, so she had to shut up.

I ignored her.

"So, Potter. Let's get straight to the point. No more picking on Granger." I gave her a coy smile. "Shall we do this in private?"

He looked up at me and had a flustered expression on his face. "Huh?"

Why does he look so flustered all the time?

"Well?"

"Err ..." He glanced at the two of them, then walked away far from the crowd, and I followed behind him.

I kept quiet, staring at him the whole time once he stopped.

He avoided my eyes and spoke slowly. "I really can't tell you."

I was attacked by indecisiveness again. I didn't know whether to rip my hair out, or his.

"You drag me all the way here just to tell me that you can't tell me. Brilliant. For fuck's sake, will you just tell me? What's the big deal?!"

"I'm not ... ready. I'm not ready ... to tell you." He turned red for the billionth time and only caught my eyes for a mere second and looked away again.

I sighed heavily.

"J-just ... give me time, alright? I'll tell you when the time comes." He muttered.

"If you won't tell me the whole thing, will you tell me why you mentioned Cedric Diggory?" I prodded.

He looked at me with those devastatingly green eyes, cheeks still rosy.

Green and red ... I know it's almost Christmas, but hey, you don't have to match your face with the theme too.

"Well ... erm ... that's one of the reasons why I can't tell you as well ..." He said. "Before I tell you, I need to confirm something ..."

"What is it?" I asked, half confused as to where this conversation was going.

"What do you and Cedric Diggory have? Are ... are you two together already?"

"No." I bellowed.

I wish!

Dang, I should have said yes.

That would be the best lie I could have ever told myself.

"Oh. I see ..." He nodded, and started smiling.

"Wait, why are you the one asking questions? I should be the one doing that. Why are you asking that?"

And why are you smiling?

He shook his head while still smiling. "Erm, listen ... I need to go now. I'm leaving tomorrow and I haven't packed, so yeah ..."  
"Packing just takes ten minutes. And you telling me everything takes only ten seconds." I persuaded.

"I don't want to tell you yet." He smiled, nodded and walked off slowly. "Goodbye, and Merry Christmas. See you after the holidays."

And I was left there.

Damn that Potter.

What's so hard to tell anyway?

I walked back to Draco and Anita, and looked as pissy as ever.

Draco read my face and said, "It's okay. Don't torture yourself for not finding out what Potter has to do with your darling Ceddykins." Draco patted my shoulder.

I sighed heavily.

Now it's going to haunt me for the rest of the three weeks.

* * *

Day 1 of 3-week holiday: Bored

Cedric-deprived.

I can't think of what to write to him.

Maybe it's too soon.

It's only the first day.

Day 2: Not so soon, I guess.

Must play hard to get.

Day 3: I still can't think of anything.

Day 7: Mum's asking me to help around the house and stuff. Bloody tiring! This is the down part of Christmas holidays.

Day 8: I haven't thought of anything yet! PANICKING.

Day 9: Woke up to a series of Mum's shrieks. She was shouting for me to get up and start doing the chores. AGAIN.

I was about to cry because I was so irritated that my sleep was disturbed.

I stormed downstairs, looking like a dragon ready to eat a village.

"You've got a letter." Mum told me. "It's on the table."

My eyes widened. I immediately ran to it and ripped it open. I smiled at the familiar handwriting, and I felt a rush.

_Hello, Zia._

I was grinning from ear to ear, and Mum was already looking at me in a peculiar way.

_You haven't written. _

Oh, I know! I tried, really.

Boo hoo.

_So I'll start first. How are you? Are you enjoying your holidays so far?_

I quickly ran upstairs and replied, paying no attention to Mum's shrieks.

It's funny how just a simple gesture can make me feel like I'm on top of the world.

_Things are fine here as well, though I can't wait for school to start again. I haven't heard from the secret admirer since the holiday started, have you heard from yours?_

My heart skipped a beat.

Shit. I forgot about my alter-ego.

I said: No, I haven't ... But I have a pretty good idea of who I think he is, though. It's just a possibility, not confirmed yet. What about you? Have any idea on yours?

Him: _Well, I tried getting her to tell me who she is, but she's a stubborn one. She seems to cleverly change the subject and say something funny. I really do wonder who she is though. She sounds like a very interesting person, and I would like to meet her one day._

Oh, shit.

I feel so happy right now. He thinks I'm witty!

Oh, WOW.

Me: I want to meet her someday too. See who has finally captured your attention, without you even knowing what she looks like.

Him: _Oh, come now, you really think I care so much for looks? I'm insulted, haha._

Me: No! That's not what I meant, it's just that every girl tries to get your attention by flaunting their features or something, but at least this one's approaching you in a very different way.

I'm blowing my own trumpet here.

Jeez.

But it's true!

Him: _True. That's why I want to meet her. And again, I do want you to be there when that happens_.

Yeah, sure.

I'll confirm with myself whether I am free that day.

BAHAHAHA.

Same shit happened that day, when I said he was going to drag me to meet me.

But yes, this was the highlight of my holidays, and possibly the best gift I could ever get.

It's enough just to have him as a good friend.

There were times when I almost ACCIDENTALLY sounded like my alter-ego when I wanted to write "Which Christmas song do you like the most?", and I wrote "Which Christmas snog do you like the most?". He replied with a "I didn't know snogging was part of a Christmas tradition, but I prefer to listen to Little Drummer Boy instead of snogging, haha!"

Yeah, yeah. Laugh all you want.

I sent the secret admirer notes to him, after carefully planning when to send it to him, so that it won't look too suspicious.

Some of the sappy love notes I sent were like:

_If a fat man puts you in a bag at night, don't worry. I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas._

_Can you take me to the bakery? I want a Cutiepie like you._

He gave good responses, as usual. He replied to the second one with a "Sure, let's go as soon as school resumes."

And on Christmas Eve, just a couple of minutes before midnight, as myself, I asked him what he wanted for Christmas.

He talked about his mother for a while, and wanting to see her - but in the end, he responded like this:

_I suppose I shouldn't ask for anything more than what I have now, because I'm happy with how things are. I like taking things as they come. It's funny when things come without even asking for it. I became good friends with you, and that's one of the best things that has happened this year. So yeah ... I'm content. What about you?_

I felt so happy I could have flown and joined the reindeers.

At the same time I felt like I was a spoilt brat for asking my parents for too much when Cedric hardly asks for anything. Ugh.

And on Christmas I decided to tell Cedric about how I feel and that I am the secret admirer on the first day of school.

Let's just hope I have the guts to do so.

_All the stars are coming out tonight,_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight,_

_For you,_

_For you._

* * *

"I do not have the guts to do so." I whimpered, on the way to breakfast.

Anita just smiled at me.

"It's like that all the time. But you have to do it anyways." Anita told me.

I gave her a set-me-free-this-time look, but she shook her head.

"It's all up to you, Zi. We'll support you." She patted my back. "There he is!" She exclaimed, while pointing at the Great Hall entrance.

My heart started thumping like mad as my eyes began searching, until it landed on the Sugar Pie Honey Bunch itself.

_Cedric._

He was laughing with his friends, and I just stared at him the entire time, a warm feeling building up in my chest.

_You light the skies, up above me_

_A star, so bright, you blind me,_

_Don't fade away._

Just before he passed by, he caught my eye, and he beamed.

"Zia!" He started walking towards me, and I stood up. He immediately captured me in a warm hug and I ...

STARTED BLUSHING LIKE MAD.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

Can we pause this moment? Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.

I bet everybody's looking at us, like "Why's a Hufflepuff hugging a Slytherin?"

But whatever! I feel like clinging to his robes, and sniffing the hell out of him.

He smells bloody nice.

Just out of shower, I guess.

Okay, we must now block those dirty images.

"Finally! It's so good to see you. I've missed you." He grinned.

"Yeah, me too. I m-m-missed you too." I stuttered, probably looking like an idiot. I hope I didn't suddenly get a lazy eye out of too much excitement because it feels as if my vision screwed up for a while.

"Did you hear that we'll be hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year?" He asked.

"Really? That's fantastic."  
"Yes! I'm thinking of taking part, what do you think?"

"Well, wow, I think you would take the cup!" I said honestly.

"Nah, but it's worth a try, yeah?" He said.

"Yep, go for it!"

"Good. You'll come support me, right?" He asked cheekily.

"As always." I reassured him, punching him lightly on his chest.

That was just a lame excuse for me to touch him. HEEHEE.

But yeah, I will.

Always. And forever.

Oh my God that sounded so sappy I almost slapped myself, but it was the truth.

I realised while looking around, that we were all alone. Just the two of us.

Shit.

I should tell him now, right? Erm, erm, erm.

"Zia?"

"Yeah?"

"You're staring off into space." He grinned.

"Oh?"

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

Go for it, Zia!

"Cedric, I have something to tell you." I spoke nervously, voice shaking.

"Yes, what is it, Zia?" He smiled.

"I ... I ... I ... err ..."

"What is it?" He touched my shoulder.

OH MY GOD. YOU DO NOT DO THAT.

I WILL HYPERVENTILATE.

"Actually, all this while ... I have been ..."

"You have been ...?" He followed patiently, hand still on my shoulder.

I. will. not. lose. concentration.

"I ... err."

"You can tell me anything, Zia."

Except for the fact that I like you and I am your secret admirer!

SHIT.

"I have been thinking that you're an excellent athlete and a very smart person, I'm sure you will do well in the Triwizard Tournament." I mentally bitch-slapped myself. "So, I'm hoping that you will make the other schools look like losers, eh?"

His face turned from that of seriousness to absolute glee.

"I shall try." He grinned.

Okay, I hate myself now.

"I'll see you at lunch, yeah? I have classes now." He patted my shoulder again.

"Yeah, see you!" I smiled broadly, trying to surpress the fact that I was disappointed in myself.

I watched his retreating figure, and walked into the Great Hall.

"BOOHOO." I bawled while walking towards Draco and Anita.

They both looked up at me.

"Oh, you poor, poor child." Draco smiled and beckoned for me to sit next to him.

* * *

_**Chapter Thirteen sneak peek:**_

_**Let's try seeing Cedric's near future, shall we?**_

_**I gazed into the crystal ball, thinking hard of Cedric (without any effort, really.).**_

_**After a while, shapes and colours were forming in the crystal ball. It started to look like Cedric, as it became clearer and clearer.**_

_**I smiled to myself when I saw him - but my smile faded when the image of Cedric started cracking and black smoke engulfed him. And Cedric's image disappeared completely.**_

_**I sat there for a while, stunned. And all of a sudden, from the back, Professor Trelawney spoke.**_

_**"I could not make out the face of the person you were seeing, but I must tell you, this person is going to face death soon."**_

Cheers! :D

Again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

*gives everyone champagne*

P/S: I know that Triwizard was supposed to be held at the end of the year, but in this story I'll make it in the beginning of the year, hehe :D And the lyrics were taken from Take That's Rule The World. I think it's a beautiful song :) and maybe if you listen to it, it might suit Zia's entire mood when she sees Cedric :)


	14. Chapter 13

Hello you guys! I am soooooo sorry for the late (times infinity) update! :( so so so busy with life, college, heartbreaks haha! But worry not, abandoning this story would be the last thing I do, and plus your reviews mean so much to me, they remind me of why I enjoy writing :)

Anyways, to make up for my tardiness, I've decided to upload two chapters :)

Enjoy!

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, _shit_." I chanted as I slipped on my shoes. "I'm going to be late." I glanced at the bed next mine, and it was empty.

The hell, why didn't Anita wake me up?

I grabbed my bag and quickly rushed out the door, and only when I was right in front of the classroom door, I realized something.

I ran my tongue against my teeth. It felt funny.

"Oh, fuck." I placed my hand directly in front of my mouth and let out a breath. And smelled.

"GOOD GOD!" I exclaimed, catching the attention of a group of people that were not far from me.

And one of them was Cedric.

"Hey, Zia. What's wrong?" He smiled.

"Aaaah, nothing, nothing. Nothing's wrong." I waved.

He told his friends to carry on, and he started to walk towards me.

No, no, don't come here. My breath smells like I swallowed a dead cat's intestines! And apparently the dead cat was eating something off the garbage before it died and it still was in its digestive system before getting run over by a car!

"Hey." He grinned.

"H-hey!" I started to panic. I think this smell will travel far away and linger like a whole line of garbage trucks. "Uh um, I uh need to go to the loo! See you in a bit!"

"What? Wait!" He looked at me as I started to inch backwards. "What's the matter? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's perfect!" I said. "Naturally!" I started walking away.

Yes, as natural as the smell of my breath right now.

AFTER FORGETTING TO BRUSH MY TEETH.

Cedric started to follow me, looking confused and concerned at the same time.

God, no. I've always wanted you to follow me every time I walk away, but not this time!

I kept looking back as I walked, in hopes of him finally giving up this quest of finding out what was wrong with me and why I was so fidgety. He was still there, dogging me.

Dang it, he's so persistent!

"Hey." I felt my elbow being tugged and I was stopped in my tracks. I turned around, keeping my mouth tightly shut.

"Mmhmm?" I asked him.

"What's wrong?" He inched closer, looking more concerned than ever. "Zia?"

I pushed his chest away (gently, of course) and I took a few steps backwards.

"Don't come near me, my breath stinks!" I felt my ears grow hot.

He stared at me for a while, and then grinned. He procured something from his pocket, and handed it to me.

"But here's a mint." He smiled.

Damn. I won't be surprised if he actually carried a toothbrush and toothbrush around with him, just in case.

"Ah, yeah, thanks." I quickly grabbed it, tore the wrapper open and shoved it into my mouth.

I let out a small breath, and smelled again.

Ah, heaven.

"Hmmm." I closed my eyes in relief.

And when I opened my eyes, Cedric's face was directly in front of mine, and our noses were almost touching.

"Hmmm?" I said, struggling to swallow the mint.

He let out a small laugh and suddenly I felt both his hands on either sides of my face.

"Good, so now I can kiss you."

My eyes widened, and my heart started beating faster, but I didn't budge.

He titled his head and leaned in slowly. I felt his breath against my cheek and against my own lips and then –

"OYE, ZIA!" I felt someone shaking me hard, and everything that was right in front of my eyes disappeared, and it was replaced with me staring at a blurred empty bed. I turned to the source of what or who tugged me earlier to see Anita looking irritated, hands on her hips. "Get up! I'm ready, and you're still in bed. Get up and get ready, or we're going to be late."

Then it hit me.

"GODDAMIT ANITA!" I yelled, punching the sides of my mattress. "HE WAS ABOUT TO KISS ME!"

Anita raised her eyebrows and stared at me blankly for a second.

"Sheesh!" I got up from my bed reluctantly, feeling aggravated.  
"Ah! Now I see. Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't know you were dreaming about him." Anita laughed.

I rolled my eyes and proceeded to get myself ready.

First thing I did was brush my teeth. Thoroughly.

"To see into the future … is to …" Trelawney said dreamily, hands pointing in haphazard directions. "Is to … is to be wise and to see what will happen before it happens …"

"Huh." I frowned. "Obviously?"

"Err well; now hmmm … continue with your future readings." Trelawney instructed, seeing that she's also lost in her own class.

I stared at the crystal ball in front of me.

"So tell me of this dream you had this morning." Anita interjected my 'concentration'.

"You mean before you jolted me awake so aggressively that it had to end?" I smiled at her.

"Yes, Miss Bitterness. Tell us."

"Ooooh." This seemed to have caught Draco's attention, eyes tearing off from the guide book to look at me. "Was it a naughty one?"

"What's with you, these days?" I questioned him, taken aback.

"It's the hormones. Hey, I never said I was an advocate of purity anyway." He threw his hands back.

"No, it wasn't a naughty one. It was just about me, forgetting to brush my teeth before class and bumping into Cedric." I said.

"Uh, okay?" Draco raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, he offered me a mint."  
"What an interesting dream." Draco drawled.

"And he almost kissed me."

"Almost? What d'you mean almost?"

"Anita woke me up before it happened."

Draco feigned a bewildered look and slapped Anita's arm.

"How dare you stop her from getting her kiss?"

"How was I supposed to know? Had I known anyway, I'd hate to stop it because we were already running late."

"You should have not stopped it. It'd have done you both a good favour of never having to attend this joyful class." Draco said solemnly, returning to his guide book.

All of us rolled our eyes simultaneously as Trelawney walked around class, observing her students.

Hmmm.

Let's try seeing Cedric's near future, shall we?

I gazed into the crystal ball, thinking hard of Cedric (without any effort, really.).

After a while, shapes and colours were forming in the crystal ball. It started to look like Cedric, as it became clearer and clearer.

I smiled to myself when I saw him - but my smile faded when the image of Cedric started cracking and black smoke engulfed him. And Cedric's image disappeared completely.

I sat there for a while, stunned. And all of a sudden, from the back, Professor Trelawney spoke.

"I could not make out the face of the person you were seeing, but I must tell you, this person is going to face death soon."

Then I had that weird feeling you get in your chest when you hear something you don't want to hear, and my ears grew hot.

"You're joking –" But when I turned around, she had already left, looking forlorn.

I turned back to Draco and Anita, cold as ice.

"Who did you see?" Anita asked, her eyebrows knitted.

"Cedric." It came out a half whisper; I could barely hear myself.

They both just stared at me.

"Ah, she's probably just talking rubbish." Anita said. "Check your guide book, Draco. It must mean something else."

Draco immediately searched for the page and read out loud.

"If the person you see in the crystal ball appears to be cracked or if black smoke appears, completely omitting the image of the person, this means that he or she is about to face Death in the offing."

"Oh my gosh." I whispered. "Cedric."

"Do you think I should tell Cedric?" I asked Draco and Anita worriedly.

"No, of course not. Are you mental?" Draco retorted. "A man does not want to hear that he's going to die soon."

Anita shot him a murderous look.

"- Not that it's going to really happen anyway." Draco quickly added.

I glanced at Cedric, who appeared to be laughing heartily at something his friend said. I think I stared at him too much, enough to give him a strange feeling that he immediately turned and caught my eyes.

And smiled.

I smiled back, all broken inside.

It's not true, it's not true, it's not true.

It's not going to happen, it's not going to happen, it's not going to happen.

I went to bed that night a depressed woman.

But never forgetting to send him the last letter.

I mean the last one for the night. Not forever.

God I'm starting to scare myself.

I'm just being paranoid.

_With every blink you make, know that I think of you._

_With every breath you take, know that I long to be next to you._

_And with every heart beat, know that mine beats for you._

A reply came.

_That's beautiful._

I grinned at his reply and whispered to myself in the dead of the night.

"No, _you _are beautiful."

I scribbled my reply down and shut my eyes as tight as possible, refusing to believe what I saw in the crystal ball today and what it meant.

**Chapter Fourteen sneak peek:**

**No sneak peeks! Chapter Fourteen is up for you people already heehee :D**

**Again, I heart you, and I heart reviews :D**


	15. Chapter 14

As promised, a bonus chapter haha! :D Enjoy!

**Chapter Fourteen**

There comes a point in life, where you will begin to question yourself. One of which, being the question of 'Which of these two are you most afraid of, Love or Death?'

Being a Slytherin, it is apparent that we're stereotypes of coldness, heartlessness, indifference, snobbery and other vile things that come to mind when you think of the word 'bitch' or 'bastard'. Love was far from us. We miss a heart, that's what people thought. But I am probably one of the nicest people on earth. Oops, there you go, the snobbery just slipped out. Teehee!

But anyway … Love has always been something that I have always wanted to experience. It was everywhere. I used to want to claw the skin out of every couple I had seen on the streets, insides burning with rage and jealousy. And I used to roll my eyes at romantic scenes in the movies and snarled, saying "God, put a stop to it. Get over it. STOP SMOOCHING ALREADY." But inside I secretly wanted it to happen to me. I hated all the protagonists because I secretly wished it was me.

Oh, come on. Don't tell me you guys have never fantasized about being pushed against the wall, and get stared deeply into the eyes, breaths rushing, noses touching, completely cornered … and with utter seriousness, your Prince Charming-whoever-whatitsname-whatshisface-whateveryoucallhim whispers … "I'm mad for you, Yourname. I love you." … and then … you get snogged the hell out of you! No? Well, now you will start to. And you're welcome.

Yes, Love. It's a ridiculous thing. It's downright stupid. But at the same time you can't decide whether you want it or need it. Or you don't want it, but you need it. Or you want it, but you don't need it. So what is it, really? When I think of Love, I think of heartbreaks. Oh, I've had countless. Most of them didn't know I existed. Ha!

Except for Cedric. And I love him for that.

Cedric was the only one who told me I was different, in a good way. And I love him for that.

He was the only one who'd tell me that he likes the way I sit, even though I sit like a man, legs wide open (not in a sexual way). And I love him for that.

He was the only one I could nonsense to for hours until morning comes. And I love him for that.

He was the only one I could act like a total maniac with and he would laugh and not be appalled by it. And I love him for that.

He was the only one I could be with, without me minding where we were, what we were doing just as long as I was with him. And I love him for that.

Just to name a few, those were the things I love about the one I love.

I feared Love, indeed I did. Feared the outcome, feared my life being out of control, feared priorities being messed up, and feared selflessness. I feared Cedric. (Because Cedric is the epitome of Love, of course.) I feared losing myself into him. I feared putting him above all else in the world.

I feared being the high priestess of this new religion, Cedricism.

But above all else … I feared losing Cedric.

So, to answer that question of which I was scared of the most:

The answer is both. I am scared of Love and Death.

I am scared of losing the one I love.

"It's probably just a misreading." Anita told me over dinner.

"But –" I objected.

"You know how many things go wrong in Trelawney's class." Anita looked at me seriously.

"But this time, it's ... it's ..." I didn't know what to say. I didn't know whether to say that I believed it, which indirectly meant that I do believe that the one I love is going to die or ...

"No, honey, no. It's just a mistake. Just a mistake. I mean, who relies on tea leaves for future readings?"

"Yes, tea leaves are only meant for one thing." Draco said prophetically. "For drinking tea, and that's it."

"I didn't use tea leaves, remember? It was the crystal ball." I replied.

"Oh." Draco said. "Well, are those balls any good? If you want my opinion, I think they're pretty useless. Can't even make out half of the things you see."

A male classmate that was sitting not far from Draco happened to overhear him and had his eyes wide open and was looking aghast at what Draco just said.

I think it had something to do with Draco mentioning 'balls' and 'things you see' and 'useless' and 'any good'.

"Hnngh..." I made a face that looked like I was on the verge of vomiting and crying at the same time.

"Ah, shush." Draco rubbed my back. "Crystal balls are rubbish. Don't worry too much about it. No one's dying. Especially your darling Diggykins."

"I'm scared." I told him.

"I know you are. But nothing's going to happen, trust me." Anita reassured.

"Yes, you're probably just too worried about the boy that you start to make things up. It's called intermixing fantasies and reality." Draco said.

"Oh, shuddap. I know what I saw."

"What, him naked? Is that what you saw?" Draco said. "Do I look better than him naked? I'm pretty sure I do, don't I?"

"I have never seen you naked." I told him.

He paused and looked at his plate.

Then he looked up again.

"Well, would you like to?" He asked nonchalantly.

I ignored him and looked at Anita.

"Look, if you're really worried about all this," Anita said, "We'll go see Trelawney again, and confirm whether you're really seeing what you're seeing, okay?"

"You make Trelawney sound like a psychiatrist." Draco said, examining his fingernails. "_She _needs a psychiatrist herself."

"Tell me something." I whispered to Anita and Draco. "Turn around now, and tell me whether it's really Cedric walking here or not. Or am I just seeing things?"

They both turned at the same time and watched as Cedric walked towards us, smiling at me as he did so.

"Nope, it's real." Anita said quietly and proceeded to finish her last bite. "Let's go, Draco."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, where are you two going?" I asked.

Anita just grinned at me, and they both stood up.

"Too bad you rejected my invitation to see me naked. That's real too. Very real. Not a hallucination." Draco pointed out. "No crystal balls required."

"Probably some other type of balls will." Anita muttered.

"Ah, cousin! How dare you! Above the truthfulness of it all, I still say, how dare you?" Draco scoffed.

"Hey, Cedric." Anita greeted Cedric, who was already directly opposite Anita.

"Hello, how are you?" He greeted back warmly.

"All good, but I got to rush. How are you though?" Anita asked.

"I'm great, thanks. I'm fine." He grinned.

Oh yes, I know. I know you are fine.

"That's great. But I'll see you around yeah?" Anita said, as Draco and Cedric nodded at each other in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, see you." He said, and we both watched them leave.

"Hello, handsome." I blurt.

Shit.

"Hi, gorgeous?" He grinned at my outburst and proceeded to sit opposite me. "How are you today?"

"Never better."

Now that you're here. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

We chatted for a while and suddenly we came to the topic of the Triwizard Tournament.

My heart skipped a beat, thinking of what I had seen in the crystal ball.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous. And excited at the same time." He laughed. "You'll support me, right?"

"Of course." I smiled at him.

"Anyway ... fancy a walk?" He said.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yeah, unless you don't want -"

"No, I want to! Just, yeah, let's go." I smiled.

Anything for my sugar, spice and everything nice.

**Chapter Fifteen sneak peek:**

**"I don't get it. You're the one girl I just want to kiss so badly, but simultaneously want to sit up with and talk to the whole night. I don't get it at all. How does that even happen?" Cedric said to me with a small smile, looking at me in confusion.**

Hahaheehee!

Reviews, please! Love!


	16. Chapter 15

All of these characters belong to J.K. Rowling, la di da di da.

First off, I would like to apologize to all of you guys for abandoning this story for far too long, you are most welcome to throw rocks at me! *sniffs*. But I have been so busy with university, with life and with reality and ah it's all been complicated – but at the end of the day what I've realized is that reality may go downhill and stuff but the written fantasy world will never fail you. So yes, I am back for my comfort, and my old friend. And I am on a long holiday until after Easter (till mid next month) so you can be sure there will be regular (though not fixed days) updates. If not then you guys are free to throw a tree at me.

A/N: Yes, I am aware that the timeframe in this story is all messed up, so sorry. All for fun anyway. Let's not be too uptight, shall we? *bakes cookies for readers*

Enjoy!

**Chapter Fifteen**

"About the Tri-Wizard Tournament, are you thinking of joining?" I asked.

"I suppose. Everybody's always expecting me to be the best. The best-behaved, the smartest, the nicest – that's always what's expected of me."

You're forgetting the handsomest. Teehee.

"So, umm …?" I laughed a little. "So that doesn't really dictate what you should do or what you want to do, right?"  
"Yes, but don't you think that this tournament, whatever it is that they're offering as a reward, it would be great, huh? To be able to get something out of your own efforts … I'd like that."  
I eyed him carefully.

"Are you sure? Is that what it is or is it because you were led to believe that?"  
Cedric kept quiet.  
"Or is it because everybody's telling you that you should, and therefore you feel like you should – because in essence, that's what people expect of you?"  
Cedric remained quiet.

I raised an eyebrow and spoke, "For goodness sake, Cedric. You may keep telling yourself that you want to escape all this attention, the pressure of being told what you should do and what you should not to for the sake of pleasing everyone – but yourself. Are you ever going to stop hiding behind that smile and nonchalant exterior – and just – for a lack of a better phrase, face the music?"

At this, Cedric glanced up at me.  
"You're one to talk." He mumbled.  
"Excuse me?"  
"No, nothing." He mumbled again.  
"What, Cedric?" I asked, "What did you say?"

He looked up again, meeting my eyes apprehensively.

"I'm only saying that – all this coming from you to me, well, I just think that you should also take your own advice. You know, be yourself and just face things as yourself, not as someone whom everybody expects you to be."

My heart gave a sudden lurch following his words.  
"What are you talking about?" I asked monotonously, my eyes narrowing.  
He looked at me for a while before speaking again, and when he did, I held my breath.

Fear. Fear of what? Fear of what he's about to say? I don't even know what he's about to say so why on earth am I feeling so scared? I suppose it's … fear of the unknown … yes, yes that's it.

I quickly put on my Slytherin mask of fear-nothing.

"Look, don't get cross with me for saying this but … what I meant to say was … face your feelings yourself – as yourself – don't hide behind another persona … or even hide behind love letters."

My eyes widened, my Slytherin façade fell and my heart sank to my feet at that very moment.  
I did nothing but stare at him, face hard and ears and the sides of my face burning.  
"You knew." I said quietly. It wasn't even a question, it was a direct statement.

He met my eyes at that – and it was all it took for me to stop the corners of my eyes from burning before they start forming hot tears. It was becoming rather difficult to swallow.

He didn't hesitate; he responded and came on as strong as I did.

"Yes, Zia, I knew."  
"Since when?"  
"Look, it doesn't matter –"  
"Since when?" I cut him off and repeated the question sternly this time.

"Ever since the beginning. Probably after two days since you started sending me those notes." He admitted quietly.

Oh, God.  
Oh, Jesus. Buddha, Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh and every other Hindu God and – and – and everything that is fucking holy.

"You knew and you never said anything." I said, my voice eerily calm.  
"Well, yes, what did you expect me to do?" He waved his arms around, beginning to get exasperated.

I got angry.  
"Talk about expectations? For one, I expected you to do what is sensible at the time, as a person, as how a person would make sense of a situation like that! As a normal person! Not as THE Cedric Diggory!"  
"Well, you –"  
"No!" I cut him off. "You wanted me to tell you what I expected of you, and I'm telling you, so shut your trap and listen."

He did as told.

"As another fellow student here … as a normal person – you know you could have just told me straight. Yet no, why? Why's that? Is it because you're Cedric Diggory and therefore you're expected to be nice to everyone – including Slytherins? Not because you really want to but just because everyone, your friends, expects it of you?"

"You are exactly as I am, Zia." He started slowly, his cheeks turning pink in the wake of controlled anger.  
"What, did I pretend to not know that you were my secret admirer and led you on, and then embarrass you badly?" I asked with fake innocence.  
"I didn't mean to fool you, or humiliate you."  
"Well too late for that, don't you think? Because thank you, I feel like a bit of a shit right now." I said and he flinched slightly at my swearing. "I hope you had fun, eh?"  
"You know you are the same. Hiding behind love letters as a completely different person – why can't you just come out and tell me your feelings? Or was it expected of you to always wear a sneer, to be cold and arrogant, to be a complete and true Slytherin?"

I feel an unnatural urge to rip my hair out. He was right, and I couldn't say shit to rebuke that. So I said the next sensible thing.  
"I did it because – honestly, would you even have taken a second look at me or even considering knowing I was a Slytherin, without the love letters? No. Because people would think of how inappropriate Golden Boy Cedric Diggory and …" I paused, searching for a word, "Snarky Slytherin would be. Sure, we're friends and stuff, that's really grand – but otherwise?" I shook my head.

"Zia …" He started, looking sad.  
"I'm tired. Good night and have a good life." I said. "Because hey, everyone expects you to."

I started to walk away, muttering something incomprehensible even to myself, but I assumed it had something to do with 'Fucking Hufflepuffs'.

After I was far enough, I took a chance and looked behind me to see if he had chased after me.

He hadn't.

I then spent the night not sleeping, but dealing with a sort-of rejection and wondering if I over-reacted. I came to the conclusion that_no, I had every right to flip out_ my pride was still intact, despite the angry tears streaming down my face. I should just stop giving a damn.

Forget Cedric – who was I fooling anyway?

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

I was in a foul mood the next day, so much so it seems that there was a huge black cloud hovering above my head.

Draco and Anita glanced every other second at me, and I tried to give them a smile which was half-hearted and didn't feel right, so it probably looked like I was grimacing at them.

"Lovely smile you got there, darling." Draco spoke, chewing on his bread.  
"You think?" I smiled a fake smile and then proceeded to murder my toast, stabbing it with a knife over and over.  
"Not to spoil the already spoiled mood or anything but the bread isn't exactly Cedric Diggory." Draco said plainly.

My eyes automatically flickered over to the Hufflepuff table, where Cedric was happily laughing with his friends, unaffected.  
"Stupid sod." I mumbled. "Tell him to fuck off."

I looked back at my crushed bread and grabbed a fork to shove them all into my mouth, not really caring what I was eating. As if the day couldn't get any worse, a white note appeared from the Great Hall entrance and flew languidly towards me.

It landed in front of my plate. I picked it up lazily and ripped it open.

_Hello, beautiful. You're looking a little down. Tell me, what ails you?_

_Yours._

I snarled and growled at the same time. I grabbed a quill from my bag and started scribbling my reply.

_Look, Secret Admirer, thanks for the concern and all but I really am not in a good mood. In fact, I don't think I will ever be in a good mood, ever again. So why don't you just make both our lives easier, and tell me once and for all who you are. 'Cause I really don't want to be dealing with any of this right now, or at any point in my life. Thanks. And sorry._

I didn't even bother revising it or even signing it, I just folded it up and sent it away, still with a sullen look on my face.

"That was a little unfair, don't you think?" Draco said to me.  
"Such is life." I shrugged, and nodded my head towards Pansy Parkinson, who was making her way towards Draco.  
"Indeed. I agree, life is unfair. Look at that thing." He shook his head, eyeing Pansy. "To live with such dysfunctions. Shame."

"Draco, darling!" She cooed, automatically dropping to the seat next to him. "There's a visit to Hogsmeade this weekend, and I was just wondering if you would want to be my date."  
I barked out a laugh, and Pansy glared at me, and then proceeded to stick her nose far up in the sky with a 'hmmph' and went back to looking hopeful at Draco.

"Pants, you know I would be so honoured to go with you, what with our families being so close to each other and all, due to the fact that my father spends most of his time kissing your father's arse as much as your father enjoys kissing my father's …" He paused, and Pansy nodded, urging for him to go on. "But unfortunately you look like an open autopsy. So, no." And Draco continued to eat his breakfast, Anita and I laughing hard in the background.

"No?" Pansy echoed.  
"Nope." Draco looked straight at nothing and reached out for a glass of pumpkin juice.  
"Are you going with somebody else already?" Her eyes narrowed.  
"What – I just told you I didn't want to go with you – ah _fuck this_," He swore under his breath. "Yes, yes I am. I am going with someone else. Now shut up, leave it alone and go."

"Who is it?" She prodded, looking angry.  
He turned to her, leaned against her ear and whispered seductively. "Not you."

Then he turned back to his food, leaving Pansy all red and hot and bothered.

Anita and I sent an amused look at both Draco and Pansy.  
"Was all that really necessary?" Anita asked, eyeing Pansy who was hyperventilating.  
"Was what necessary?"  
"You know, that seductive bit at the end, you whispering in her ear –" Anita spoke but got cut off by a rather loud _'thump!' _coming from next to Draco. Anita and I stood up to look.

Pansy had fainted.

Draco looked at her unconscious figure on the floorand returned to his breakfast, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice, all the while looking nonplussed.  
"Yes." He answered Anita after swallowing, "In fact, I think it was rather much needed." He nodded, causing Anita and I to burst into fits of laughter again while trying to get a good look at Pansy's motionless body sprawled on the floor.

Just then, another white note was flying towards me.

"_Fuck, twat, wank, shit, bitch, why won't you just leave me alone." _I whispered angrily and with passion, ripping the note open.  
"Don't wash your mouth, love, you know I like it dirty." Draco commented and Anita chuckled.

I scanned the note three times, which was really unnecessary because there were only two words.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

I scanned the note three times, which was really unnecessary because there were only two words.

"Mmffit." I muttered under my breath.  
"Excuse you?" Draco asked.

"Marcus Flint." I said, this time clearly.  
"What about him?" Anita asked.  
"He's the secret admirer." I dropped the white note onto the table and looked at Anita.

"Marcus Flint, really?" Draco frowned, and grabbed the note, reading it for himself. "Well, okay. Didn't see that coming."  
"Neither did I." Anita peered over at the note with Draco.  
"Nor I." I shrugged, not feeling anything in particular at the revelation.

It was just a little weird to have the captain of your Quidditch team be your secret admirer.

I was about to push it out of my head and grab another glass of pumpking juice before running off to class, but not before a masculine figure came over to me and stood opposite of me.  
I looked up.

"Flint." I nodded.  
"Zia." He smiled, a smile so unnaturally seen in my captain's face. He was usually either sneering, or yelling at us during practice.

"Uh, hey." I tried to sound welcoming and friendly. Obviously failing.  
"Malfoy." Flint nodded at Draco, and then at Anita.

"Hngh." Draco responded.

"So … yeah. It's me, Zia." Flint said, smiling that creepy smile again.  
"Indeed." I half-grinned. "Who would have thought?"  
He pressed on, "So hey, now that's out and clear, I was thinking …"

Oh no, a rather unfamiliar territory and dangerous pastime of Flint's. Because he never usually thinks, especially during Quidditch. Never about formations, tactics or strategies. Just tells "Beaters to beat the shit out of Gryffindors" and "Draco to beat the shit out of Harry Potter and get that snitch."

"Yeah?" I smiled at the thought in my head, and it probably came out as 'encouraging' to Flint because he smiled even wider.  
"I was thinking … there's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend. Want to go with me?"

My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

"Wha – I, umm … this weekend?" I sputtered.  
"Yeah." Flint said. "Kind of like a date, if you like."

HA.  
I wouldn't dream of going out on a date with you even if it –

Something, or rather someone caught my eye at the time.

It was Cedric, standing up and leaving the table with his friends. Grabbing his bag and laughing, he left for class without as much as a glance or a smile my way.

I clenched my jaw.

"You know what, Flint?" I turned to Flint again.  
He smiled questioningly.

"I'd like that." I nodded, ignoring Draco's bewildered expression and Anita's subtle look of surprise.  
"Great. See you." He creepy-smiled again, turned and left.

"Sure about this?" Anita asked, looking a little worried.  
"Not really." I said. "But why not? He's Flint, and he's also from Slytherin. So, not much can go wrong. Plus it's just Hogsmeade, even though he counts it as a date."

They both nodded and I shrugged.

After all, everybody expects that, don't they?

That night, I dreamt of the walk that Cedric and I took just over two days ago, only we didn't end up shouting, yelling and losing our tempers. Instead, I dreamt that it took a different turn.

_Cedric was looking at me, while we were laughing and joking – no squabbling. I turned to Cedric saw the look on his face._

"_Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.  
__"I don't get it. You're the one girl I just want to kiss so badly, but simultaneously want to sit up with and talk to the whole night. I don't get it at all. How does that even happen?" Cedric said to me with a small smile, looking at me in confusion.  
"Well, why don't you?" I said boldly, daring him.  
"Why don't I what?" Cedric stopped in his tracks, and I automatically stopped too. He took a step towards me. "Why don't I what, Zia?"  
"Why don't you do it?" I said quietly, and he took another step forward.  
"Do what?" He asked coyly. He was now directly in front of me, my nose almost pressing his chin.  
_

_I looked up at him.  
"Kiss me."  
"That I could do." He grinned, before dipping his head and -_

I woke up.  
I woke up and had a battle between wanting to go back to sleep and ignore the hot tears forming in my eyes, and drown myself in the lake. The first option won, and I forced myself to go back to sleep, a hot tear victoriously spilling down unto my pillow.

Well, shit.

You know what they say about dreams. If you dream something good, the reality would be the complete opposite. And it some cases, it may provide as a warning.

"Too fucking late." I muttered to myself.

_**Chapter Sixteen sneak peek:**_

"_**You are going to fucking die, Cedric." I muttered, anger all out on display, my hands tightly grasping his collar while I stared icily into Cedric's confused eyes. "If you do this, you are going to die."**_

Reviews, please! :D

*gives readers sweets and cookies*


	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: These bunch o' wizards belong to J.K. Rowling. This story's mine. You know how it is ;)

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Curious. How curious indeed." Draco said quietly while munching on his breakfast that Saturday.

Anita and I remained silent. Anita was concentrating on her breakfast, while I – I was dreading the moment Flint would step into the Hall and come claim me for his date to Hogwarts that day.

"Curious! How curious indeed!" Draco said a little louder this time, thinking that neither Anita nor I had heard him the first time.  
"We heard you the first time, Draco." Zia replied.  
"Then why didn't either of you say something, so that I was able to continue?" Draco said petulantly.  
"Since when have you ever needed anyone's permission to continue talking?" Anita brought her hand to her mouth in mock surprise.

Draco watched her speculatively for a couple of seconds, before raising his eyebrows and nodding, as if agreeing to that thought.

"Anyway, I was thinking about the situation between you and Cedric last night before I went to sleep." Draco said.

"Trust Draco to think about other people's problems." Anita muttered to me, while I was curious to hear what Draco had to say next.

"Of course, how else am I going to fall asleep? Not that I have anyone special to think of." He sniffed. "I mean one can only praise oneself so many times a day. I need to give me a break."

I sniggered and shook my head. Pompous brat.  
"Now will you get on with it? What is curious?" I prodded.  
"It's curious how you and Cedric are acting like strangers now after a - in my opinion, a rather sudden and overreacted argument. I mean, what happened, really?"  
"I don't know, I just suddenly blew up, and then he also suddenly blew up. I don't know really. I didn't give it much thought."  
"Clearly." Draco agreed.  
"It's just, I'll get even more confused if I think about it so let me just leave it the way it is now." I said, ignoring how my heart ached dully against my chest – a feeling I hated the most in the world.  
"I must let you know, from the way you retold the story, you were completely in character – bold, snappy and hot-tempered. And him, not really, no. It was unexpected, so out of character." Draco sipped his juice.  
"Complete opposites, in other words." I said bitterly. "This is another indication that any form of relationship with us both in it will end up in complete disaster."  
"But you were getting on well before?" Anita cut in.  
"We were. Then we saw each other's true colours, or rather he saw mine. Geesh." I added dejectedly. "Shucks, to be honest I don't even know what is going on. Too much is going on, and I would like to start by concentrating somewhere."

"Well you can start by enjoying yourself today at your date with Flint." Anita said and looked pointedly at the door. I looked up.

Marcus Flint was striding towards us with a smug look on his face – and considering my foul mood that day (every day since _the fight_), I wanted nothing more than punch him and everyone else around me. I gave Flint a smile, or at least I attempted it, and it looked as if I was nodding and grimacing at him.

"Well then, I shall take my leave, Majesties." I said, sighing loudly as I began to get up from my seat. "I will probably see you in Hogsmeade."  
They both nodded and I met Flint halfway.

"Ready to go?" Flint asked, smiling annoyingly.

_Never. I don't even know why I agreed to go with you. _

I made a sound of agreement and walked beside him, eyes scanning the rest of the hall for a sandy-haired boy.

Cedric wasn't there.  
I tried to ignore the slight pang of disappointment and shook my head, as if to clear my thoughts as well. Marcus and I were already outside the castle, walking side by side.  
"So, Zia?" Flint said in a low voice. "Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"

_To hell. Anywhere's better than here, with you._

"Umm, no, not really. Maybe just Honeydukes, but otherwise no. It's up to you, really." I said, and I turned to him. "It's your date."  
"Yeah, it is." He smiled weirdly, as if trying to come across as seductive.

_Errkay_.

"So I can take you anywhere." Flint said smugly, his eyes glowing mischievously.  
I fought hard not to release an exasperated sigh.  
"Yeah." I said breathlessly.  
"I can take you anywhere." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

It was only a few seconds before I understood the implications of his words, the suggestiveness of his tone and the way his eyebrows waggled like a pervert watching his next prey.

"You're sick, Flint." I spat venomously with a disgusted look on my face.  
Apparently he thought I was joking because he let out a bark of laughter and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

_Oh, God. Don't – touch! Get it off, get it off, get it off, get it off, get it off._

"Get what off?" Flint turned to look at me with an amused look on his face.  
"Hmm?"  
"You were muttering something under your breath."

"Oh no, it was nothing." I smiled plastically.

_And I thought that only happened with Cedric._

Hmm. Cedric.  
My heart gave an almighty lurch.

_Oh bloody stupid potatoes, will you stop doing that? Great, I'm scolding my heart. What? What was that, heart? You're going to threaten to block all blood flow to you? Oh, yes please. That would be a hundred times better than dealing with this – this – this Flint right now. The date had only started and I already want it to end. _

_I bet it wouldn't be like this with Cedric, _a voice at the back of my head supplied helpfully.

_Oh, Jesus – now you want to interrupt, mind? How dare you go and bring up Cedric at a time like this! Never mind that, you have done nothing but bring him up ever since this darned date started. Stop it, stop it, stop it. Both of you just stop it. You two are going to be the death of me._

_I suppose you wouldn't mind if Cedric was the death of you,_ my mind retorted smartly.

"Oh, I thought you were saying you wanted to get me off." Flint teased and laughed heartily.

After telling the opiniated voice in my head to shove off, I turned to Flint and knitted my eyebrows.  
"The hell is wrong with you Flint?" I said, referring to his innuendos.  
"Nothing, nothing." He said in a sing-song voice; arm still tight around my shoulder.

Flint took me to Honeyduke's, and then got me a giant lollipop – which I refused to open and eat in front of him, despite his urgings. I was already feeling uncomfortable at his frequent innuendos and the fact that he got me a lollipop in a store filled with other favourites of mine scared me a little.

I was about to say no to Flint about eating – according to Flint it was _sucking _– the lollipop for the billionth time when a sandy-haired boy passed right behind Flint.

My heart thumped against my chest so hard it hurt.  
"_Ungh._" I grunted, echoing the pain in my chest.

My eyes followed Cedric and he turned, and for the briefest moment, he caught my eye.

Oh Merlin's balls.

I was prepared to smile, the corners of my lips were beginning to turn upward – not before Cedric turned away, seemingly disturbed by someone beside him who said something.

_Why, you little bothersome – _

I craned my neck to see who had interrupted our '_moment_' and positively fumed when I saw that it was the bitch from hell herself.

_Cho Bollocking Chang._

My eyes narrowed and I almost tossed the giant lollipop at her head. Least it would have been put to good use.

"You're crushing the lollipop." Flint informed me.  
"Fuck the lollipop, Flint." I hissed.

His eyes widened, and I was wondering why that happened. Then I figured it had something to do with the fact that I said 'fuck the lollipop'.

"My, my, my, Zia. I had no idea you were kinky." Flint said.

_Oh, God. He really is a sick fuck._

"Flint, will you stop it with your sexual suggestions?" I said, feeling the urge to claw at my neck. I caught sight of Draco and Anita somewhere far behind and watched Anita pass by, blushing prettily at something Blaise Zabini had said.

Another group trailed after them. It was the Golden Trio. Harry Potter immediately caught my eyes and I nodded politely at him, ignoring whatever Flint was currently saying. I almost forgot he existed, what with everything that has been going on. Potter suddenly stopped in his tracks and said something to his friends. Weasley and Granger looked at me suspiciously for a bit before nodding, continuing without Potter.

I cocked my head sideways in curiosity, before Potter beckoned me to one of the alleys nearby. I raised my eyebrows and pointed to myself. He nodded furtively.  
"Excuse me." I said, and shoved Flint lightly before making my way to Potter. For once, I was happy to have left a Slytherin hanging in order to go talk to a Gryffindor.

I followed Potter into the alley and I was beginning to wonder if I should have my wand out – just in case – but he turned and I almost walked into him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you and Flint." He said, his bright emerald eyes staring intently into mine.  
"It's quite alright, Potter. In fact, I was happy you dragged me into this alley instead of letting me be with Flint." I croaked in dismay.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

Potter let out a short laughter and said, "Really, I am sorry. But I wouldn't have interrupted you if it wasn't important."

_You could have dragged me into this alley and sang me nursery rhymes and it still would have been more important than hanging off Flint's arm._

"What is it, Potter?" I said. "This time it better be good. Note your previous attempts at trying to tell me something, and failures at said attempts."

He nodded in understanding, "I didn't want to tell you earlier, for fear of it being a false alarm. But now I know, now I am sure. Look, I know this might sound silly but … I have been having dreams about Voldemort."

I blanched a little.

"It's been happening for quite a long time now. And I have discovered that in some ways, I may be linked to Voldemort especially when I'm asleep. I have visions. At first I thought they were dreams but after a while – it was confirmed that they were visions through his eyes, his mind."

My eyebrows knitted further, not knowing where this was going.

"How do you know?" I asked.  
"I kept having dreams about random people, people I don't know but I have seen being talked about by Voldemort. Voldemort's plans to kill them, to get rid of them." Potter said in a rush. "Like I said, at first I thought they were just dreams but I wake up the next few days to see them reported in the newspapers – dead."

My eyes widened.  
"Okay, Potter. But I still don't understand why you're telling me all this -"  
"If Cedric joins this Tri-Wizard tournament he will die." Potter said gravely.

My world went quiet at that.  
"What?" I asked, almost inaudibly.  
"Voldemort's got this whole thing planned. I don't know how, I don't know when but I know for sure that Cedric will die at the end of it. He has said it many times during my visions. He will kill Cedric Diggory."

Then, I felt a little guilty at reprimanding my heart earlier because I felt it sag and die in my chest. I paled, and my knees were failing and I had to lean against the alley wall.

"So, please will you tell Cedric not to join this tournament? He probably won't listen to me considering everyone thinks I'm stark raving mad." Potter pleaded.

"Harry?" A voice called at the end of the alley, and Potter turned while my eyes were still unfocused on the floor. It was Granger.

"Please. He will listen to you." Potter said, and squeezed my shoulder a little before he left.

I didn't move from my spot, even after he had long left. Flint and the rest of the world was forgotten as I tried to process what Potter had just said.

_Cedric? Die?_

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Why did Potter ask me to do it? I'm not even on talking terms with Cedric, and he expects me to get Cedric to listen to me?" I buried my face in my palms during dinner that night. "Oh, God. Why is this happening?"  
"Maybe you should just go and talk to Cedric." Anita suggested.

I lifted my head, "Are you nuts? He's going to think I'm psychotic. Not that he probably hasn't. But he probably won't believe me anyway."  
"You could try."  
"No!" I cried.

"Good. Things will definitely be better with a _dead_ Cedric, yes?" Draco said, cutting his steak as if he had not a care in the world.

For the hundredth time that day, my heart was going bonkers at Draco's words. Poor thing was probably going to stop working due to exhaustion.

"Draco …" I warned quietly.  
"Darling Zia." He answered back with the same tone.

I made a whiny-crying sound and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Here, it is as simple as this." Draco wiped his mouth with a napkin and turned to me fully. "If you want Cedric Diggory dead, you do nothing. If you want Cedric Diggory alive, you talk to him as soon as you can."  
"You know I want him alive, even if things are shit between us and even if he'll never be mine." I said, eyes threatening to build up with tears.  
"There you go." Draco stroked my cheek, and returned to his steak. "Now go, and leave me the fuck alone."

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek before getting up to walk to the Hufflepuff table. I felt thousands of eyes on me; doubtless that they were eyes of students wondering what the fuck a Slytherin was doing walking towards a Hufflepuff table.

I paused, wondering that I had no idea where Cedric was sitting at this time. I scanned the table, feeling like a fool. Draco and Anita were probably watching me, and sniggering.

No Cedric.

"Umm." I approached a couple of wide-eyed Hufflepuffs, who stopped eating their dinner to watch my approach. "Excuse me, but could you tell me where Cedric Diggory is?"  
"Last I heard he was in the library." One of the braver-looking ones answered.  
"Oh, right. Thank you." I said flatly and nodded. I strode towards the Great Hall's entrance door, determined to see Cedric at once.

My walk to the library couldn't get any longer than it usually did. I was overwhelmed with fear, fear of missing him just by a few seconds, fear of him not believing me, fear of him _dying_.

I pushed the large library doors open and my heart was back to its usual state of over-palpitation.

_How am I going to start? What do I say to him first? Do I say hello – oh god there he is – do I – ah, fuck!_

I was already in front of him, right where he was seated at the back of the library.  
He looked up at me, and his eyes showed his surprise.

"Zia." He said, his eyes widened. He stopped writing and put his quill down.  
"Don't join the tournament." I said, breathing heavily for some reason. "And hello."

He frowned in confusion.  
"What?"  
"Don't join the tournament, Cedric." I said, looking dead serious.  
"Is this about the row we had the other day?" He said carefully, lest I turn into a dragon ready to eat an entire village again.  
"Fuck the row we had the other day." I said in annoyance, and he almost flinched at my language. "Look, this may sound silly and all -" I paused, realizing that I had just recycled Potter's words. "- but Harry Potter spoke to me today. And he told me to warn you not to join this tournament."  
"Why?" He asked. "Would you like to sit down?"

I almost smiled.  
Dear Cedric. Still not forgetting niceties and manners even after a huge outburst with a psycho-maniac girl.

"No, no. But thanks." I said. "Anyway, he said You-Know-Who is planning something and one thing for sure that if you join this tournament something dreadful will happen to you."  
"Like what?" He asked almost innocently, and I was torn between wanting to grab him by his collar and shake him _hard_, to make him understand the seriousness of the situation – and wanting to grab him by his collar and snog the living shit out of him.

_Jesus Christ, he'd probably have a better chance at dying being kissed to death by you than join the tournament to be killed by Voldemort_, my mind hissed.

I almost laughed at the idea but then that thought turned into a set of warning bells in my head.

"Like death!" I practically shouted, and stopped to see if Madam Pince was approaching or not.

Cedric grinned at that.  
"That's common knowledge, Zia. People die in this tournament." He said, as if talking to a child.  
"So you'll risk death?" I scoffed.  
"I am confident in my skills, so yes I will risk death." Cedric answered.  
"If you do join, death will no longer be a risk for you. It would be a guarantee." I said candidly, staring into his eyes with emotions ranging from determination to worry to anger.

Cedric kept quiet at that and swallowed. He seemed unconvinced. So I took the liberty of walking closer towards him and grasped his collar.

"You are going to fucking die, Cedric." I muttered, anger all out on display, my hands tightly grasping his collar while I stared icily into Cedric's confused eyes. "If you do this, you are going to die."

"How do you know?" He said, not breaking eye contact. I let him go, and made a mental note to stop having sudden psychotic temper outbursts – let alone manhandle a gorgeous person.

"Potter told me about his visions that are linked with You-Know-Who. He asked me to stop you."

Cedric licked his lips and my eyes involuntarily followed the movement. He cast his eyes downward and stared at the floor. He seemed to be lost in thought.

"Cedric." I called.

He looked up at me.

"I don't want you to die." I said softly.

At that, he smiled at me. Suddenly, warmth filled the air and it was like we were good friends again, and no tension or animosity existed anymore.

"Thank you, Zia." He said.  
I nodded. "So, please. Don't join."

"But my name's already in the goblet." Cedric said worriedly. My eyes widened this time. Then he relaxed a little bit. "Oh, well. I suppose there's only little chance that I might get picked among so many other talented people, eh?"

I was going to object and say _no, you're one of the best out there_, but that would defeat the purpose of me barging in here to see him. I remained quiet.

"Right." I said, trying to push the worry out of my head. "Now that's all done and over with, I suppose I should …" I gestured towards the door and his pile of homework. "Yeah, go."  
"Wait, Zia." Cedric said.  
"Hmm?" I said, ignoring how my heart fluttered.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "For the other day."

My eyes trailed down to his collar, and I muttered, "I'm sorry, too."

"Yeah, I shouldn't have said what I said … I don't know why I flipped out like that. It's not normal for me to do that." He admitted, and I almost nodded in agreement. "But I did, and I'm sorry. I suppose it's just the pressure."  
"Pressure?" I asked.  
"Yeah, well that day … for some reason a lot of people – most especially my friends – were urging me to join the tournament. Even my father, he had owled that morning. He heard that the tournament was being organized here and he wasted no time in telling me to join." He ran a hand through his hair. "And let's not forget my Head of House."

I smiled sympathetically.

"Just, with all that going on added with the fact that I was torn between doing what people want me to do and what I really want to do, it just … I'm sorry." He repeated.  
"It's alright. I'm at fault anyway, I shouldn't have judged you, let alone tell you what you should do." I said guiltily. "I had no right."

We caught each other's eyes then.  
"Actually, you do, Zia." He said. "You do have that right, much more than anyone else. You're the realest person I know."  
I grinned, "Not as real as I'd like. Not until lately, I suppose. As of now, this is the real me."  
He returned my grin and we went into silence.

"Did you really know it was me from the beginning?" I asked boldly. "The love letters, I mean. Or did somebody tell you?"

"Ah, that … yeah well I had my suspicions at first. You made it rather blatant at times, and I only had half a mind about it because you denied it. That was until Marcus Flint approached me in the courtyard and told me that you were the one sending me the black love notes."

I froze, and I mentally broke a glass.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked acidly. "Who?"  
"Marcus Flint, your captain?" He said. "You were with him this morning at Hogsmeade, yes? I assumed he fancies you because that day at the courtyard he asked me to back off, but I said I -"

But I wasn't listening anymore.  
Flint, Flint. Stupid fucking Flint. Stupid, perverted, always-sexually-suggestive Flint.  
He ruined it all!

"Zia?"  
"Ah, yes? What did you say? I'm so sorry, I was distracted." I said, trying to control my anger.

_Distracted by the thought of ripping Flint apart right after we finish this conversation_.

Cedric blinked at me. And then he blushed.

"Oh, no … nothing." He cleared his throat, and shifted his eyes away from mine. "Forget it."  
"No, come say, what was it?" I prodded.  
"No, some other time perhaps." He smiled at me shortly, and looked away, still blushing.

Huh.

"Alright then, Cedric. It's nice to be back in your good graces." I said pompously, and he laughed. "But I have a matter I have to attend to, and I don't want to disturb you studying." I watched him speculatively for a while, thinking. And then I added, "Actually, that's a lie. I do want to disturb you studying. Unfortunately, the other matter can't wait. Some other time perhaps."

Cedric laughed heartily – it was a beautiful, musical sound and it warmed my heart immensely.

_Holy crap. I am still arse-over-tit in love with him._

"Alright, go on then, busy woman." Cedric said teasingly.  
"I'll see you later, then." I nodded.  
"Yes, definitely. And I'll be letting you know when I'll be studying next, and you can come disturb me all you like."

_Indeed_, my mind said deliciously. _Disturb. Is that what they call it these days?_

I mentally slapped myself and smiled at Cedric one last time before I left the library.

Good Lord, it felt so good to be on talking terms with Cedric again. As if by magic, my mood was infinitely better – not like the walking mass of gloom I had been these days … it must have taken a toll on Anita's and Draco's moods as well. I made a mental note to make it up to them and tell them the good news, that Cedric wants me to _disturb_ him all I like.

But not before I hex Flint into oblivion.

As if he knew I was talking about him, he chose that moment to make his appearance. I was about to go back into the Great Hall, and he had just finished dinner.

"Zia, baby!" He tossed his arms in the air, right after he was in the corridor and had spotted me. "What happened? You left me hanging in Hogsmeade! Where did you go?"

I walked towards him like a bull running after the matador.

He must have sensed my hostility and violent aura because his eyes widened and almost made to run – and I shoved him.

Hard.

So hard that he fell flat on his arse.  
He looked up at me with a bewildered expression.

"_You_." I said scathingly and drew out my wand, pointing it at his nose.

He gulped, and watched my wand.  
A couple of students had gathered nearby to watch.

I was mentally running through suitable hexes for Flint, and I heard someone call my name.

"Zia?" Anita called in a surprised voice, and I turned to see Anita jogging towards me and Draco trailing gracefully behind.

I glanced down at Flint, still at my mercy – and then I stood up straight, tucking my wand away. I then rummaged my pocket and procured the giant lollipop from earlier today and threw it at him. It hit his head with a rather loud '_thunk!'_

I walked to Anita and Draco, ignoring everybody else.  
Stupid Flint.

"What happened?" Anita asked, once we were far away from everybody.  
I didn't answer; I just gave her one of my best smiles.

"Hmm, I assume things went well." Anita grinned. "Look at her eyes, they're glowing _again_."  
"I hope you do know you owe me something." Draco drawled from beside me.  
"I'll get you your favourite chocolates." I told him.  
"You better." He agreed.

_**Chapter Seventeen sneak peek:**_

"_**And the Hogwarts champion is …" Dumbledore announced, "CEDRIC DIGGORY!"  
Cheers and shouts broke throughout the Great Hall, but my whole world felt mute and my heart sank.**_

Teehee! Reviews please 3  
*gives readers ice-cream*


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

_God? Or whoever you are – the one's that in control of the universe and everything else that happens in said universe … keep Cedric safe. Keep him out of harm's way. _

_Please._

"Oh, there you are," Draco greeted me the very morning.  
"Good morning, Draco," I said tiredly, sitting opposite him and next to Anita – barely stifling a yawn and burying my face in my hands.  
"You look like shit, by the way," Draco stated matter-of-factly, "But I still think you're beautiful."  
"Hmm?" I looked up at him, face half-buried in my hands.  
"Rough night?" Anita asked.

I opened an eye to look at her.  
"Couldn't sleep," I mumbled.  
"Having sexy fantasies about Diggory boy?" Draco asked, sinking his teeth into his extremely buttery and strawberry jam-packed toast.  
"Hngh, yeah," I said half-heartedly.

That could have been true about normal nights, of course _hee hee hee_, but not last night. Last night I was busy hoping, worrying – _praying _ for Cedric's safety. Because –

"Tonight's the announcement, isn't it?" Anita looked worriedly at me, "The Triwizard champions?"  
"Yeah," I nodded, feeling almost sick to my stomach – not feeling like eating at all.  
"Oh, come now, love," Draco smiled at me, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Diggy wouldn't be chosen. I mean, despite being all perfect and extremely talented and stuff, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't get chosen. Otherwise, that would only mean you really have _shit_ luck, and that's really got to be a great universal cosmic joke being played on you."

"You might be surprised," I raised my eyebrow at him, "I _do _have shit luck, and I'm one of the universe's favourite victims, didn't you know?"  
Draco made a noncommittal sound.

"Then for once, maybe all your shit luck's been adding up to give you one good thing, you never know?" Draco said, "You know Karma, don't you?"  
"Oh, no, I don't," I grinned at him, "Is she your new girlfriend?"  
Draco gave me a playful glare, before responding, "Not quite. But she's a very nice woman. She gives and takes, you know what I mean? She's fair like that."

I laughed and shook my head, suddenly remember the joke '_Your Karma just ran over my dogma'._

_Please, please, please, please, keep him safe from harm_, my mind absently chanted.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, with me not concentrating on anything else besides thinking of Cedric, and hoping for Cedric – and ignoring Anita and Draco's 'don't worry's and 'relax's.

And before I knew it, it was already dinner time – Dumbledore's favourite hour to make announcements. I was extremely sick to my stomach by the time I reached the Great Hall entrance, and was pulled by Anita and Draco into the Hall itself.

There were excited chatters, hopeful faces and bets going on between students about who was going to be the Hogwart's champion. The Hall was filled with the black Hogwarts uniforms, the Beauxbatons uniforms and the Durmstrang uniforms.

And the goblet was perched right in front of the staff table, burning a bright blue.

I sat down at the Slytherin table, scanning the crowd for Cedric. I immediately spotted him, as he was already looking at me.

He gave me a smile and a little wave, and my heart fluttered excitedly.

_Stupid heart, control yourself._

I smiled back and blushed into my empty plate.

"Why are you blushing, Zia?" Draco asked, "Was it something the plate said?"  
I rolled my eyes at him and ignored his knowing smirk.

Dinner began, and despite my worriedness, I had a huge appetite … I suspect it was those meals I skipped today catching up.

I kept stealing glances at Cedric, watching him laugh, watching him eat – and sometimes, catching him catching me.

_TEEHEE! _My insides squealed every time he caught me watching him.

"Zia, you're extremely pink," Anita stated.

_Why, yes, he is handsome, isn't he? I mean, what?_

"What?" I stopped making goo goo eyes at Cedric and turned to Anita.  
"Your cheeks are flaming red," Anita said.

Yes, red. Passionate red. As passionate as my love for Cedric. Oooooooh.

"Oh, it's the blusher," I said lamely.  
"Bollocks," Draco grinned, "Didn't know you apply blusher around your forehead, nose and chin as well."  
"New technique," I said, "To make it look more, umm, natural …"  
"Trust me darling, yours is as natural as the colour of the hair on my head," Draco said, "And somewhere else, but let's not go there. It's private."  
"Indeed," Zia laughed.

I was about to go for my _third_ helping, when Dumbledore stood up rather loudly from the staff table.

My heart started drumming hard in my chest. It sounded like a Chinese drums performance.

I shut my eyes tightly and clenched my jaw, suddenly not up for the third helping after all.

_I think Dumbledore secretly wants me to vomit my dinner out all over the place right about now._

"Students of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang!" Dumbledore bellowed, "May I have your attention please!"

All the chatter and the clattering of cutleries immediately stopped, and everyone's attention was on Dumbledore, who stood next to the Goblet.

"We shall now announce the champions of the Triwizard tournaments," he said, "And I shall remind you once more … Eternal Glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the TriWizard Tournament. But to do this the student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks. If chosen, there's no turning back."

I had the urge to vomit but I swallowed hard, and finished a whole glass of pumpkin juice. My eyes flittered over towards Cedric, who was watching Dumbledore intently – and his friends were hovering around him, whispering excitedly to him.

_Oh, please, please, please, please. Not Cedric, please. Please, please, please._

As if hearing my thoughts, Cedric caught my eye. He gave me a half-grin and nodded, as if to say, "It'll be alright."

I nodded back at him, and sent Draco and Anita worried looks.

"And now … for our first champion … from Durmstrang Institute," Dumbledore moved over towards the Goblet. Its flame burned its normal bright blue, and then suddenly turned red and sparkled brightly.

A scrap of paper shot out from it, and Dumbledore caught it elegantly.

"Viktor Krum!"  
The Hall was filled with shouts and cheers and claps, and I watched as Krum fisted his hand lightly in victory before marching over to shake Dumbledore's hand.

He walked over to the back room and disappeared.

"Our seconds champion, from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic …" Dumbledore announced, watching the Goblet intently. It was back to burning a bright blue flame again for a few seconds before turning red. Dumbledore caught the scrap of paper again.

"Our Beauxbatons champion is … Fleur Delacour," he announced.  
Again shouts, cheers and claps filled the entire Hall, and everyone watched as the beautiful Fleur Delacour do exactly as Krum earlier on.

"And our Hogwarts Champion is …" Dumbledore said slowly.

I began clenching Anita's hands so hard I was sure it was going to leave sore bruises on them, but I couldn't bring myself to think about anything else besides how cold I felt at that moment, how my ears burnt, and how my stomach seemed to be breakdancing at the moment.

I squeezed Anita's hand harder than ever – more like I death-gripped her hand.

She made no complaints though, the sweetheart. If anything, she squeezed my hand back just as hard – the action oddly comforting, in an almost sadomasochistic way. Hmmm.

The Goblet's flame turned red, and I swallowed nervously, trying to keep my eyes steady on Dumbledore.

"And the Hogwarts champion is …" Dumbledore announced, "CEDRIC DIGGORY!"  
Cheers and shouts broke throughout the Great Hall, but my whole world felt mute and my heart sank.

I _felt_ myself pale and heard only my own heartbeat as I watched Cedric stand up from his seat, pushed happily by his friends.  
I kept my eyes locked on him, and before he reached Dumbledore, he turned his head back to catch my eyes.

And he smiled, squeezing both his eyes shut quickly and opened them – and it looked too adorable. It was almost as if he was saying, "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Zia."

And I was about to reply with a, "They already are, why don't you come untangle them" but he had to look away and shake Dumbledore's hand.

I watched him disappear into the Champion's room. I was still feeling lost, scared, worried, sick – everything bad … I shut down completely and stared into space, saying nothing, hearing nothing and thinking nothing. The fact that Harry Potter had been called as the fourth champion didn't even arouse me from my dazed state.

"Zia! Zia!" Anita's voice called.  
I turned to her, not saying anything.

"Are you okay?" Anita asked.  
"Of course she's not," Draco said, "She looks as if she's seen a ghost."  
"Everyone's leaving now, except for the champions. We've got to go," Anita said, pulling me slightly.

I said nothing, and got up with them, and walked out of the Entrance Hall.

After a bit of silence and walking, I suddenly stopped.  
"You know what? I'll wait for Cedric. I, umm, I need to talk to him," I said to Anita and Draco. They both sent each other worried looks and then nodded.  
"See you back in the dungeons," Anita waved.

I walked back towards the Great Hall and leaned heavily against the wall next to the entrance door.

After a while of nail-biting, and moments where my eyes glazed over like crazy and gory images of Cedric dying appearing in my head over and over, the Entrance door squeaked lightly and opened.

Surprisingly, it was Harry Potter.

"Hey," I said immediately, "Are you alright? I mean, how? Why?"  
"Hello," he answered, shoving his hands into his pockets, "But I dunno, I reckon it's a trap. You know Voldemort and his plans to kill me."

I stepped towards him and gripped his elbow.

"You be careful, alright?" I said worriedly, trying not to grip his elbow so hard. I didn't think he'd like the sadomasochistic treatment as much as Anita does.

Potter's eyes widened, as if he wasn't expecting that from me.

_Of course he wouldn't, Slytherins aren't exactly well-known for their affections and warmth – and concern._

"Right. Thanks, I will, Zia," he grinned at me.  
I nodded.

"And Cedric …" he began but trailed off.  
"I did speak to him, but he had already entered his name by then," I said sadly.

This time, it was Potter's turn to plant his hand on my shoulder, and he squeezed.

There was a lot of squeezing going on that day.  
And it wasn't even the type I'd like to be doing, like Cedric's butt-squeezing, for example.

"We'll try to think of something. I don't know how, but we will get him out of this, yeah?" Potter said.  
"Yeah," I nodded, looking down at the floor.

The door squeaked and opened again, and both Potter and I looked at the person emerging from it.

Cedric.

My heart skipped a beat.  
He walked towards us, and had his eyebrows raised while looking at us.

I looked at Potter and myself, and I began to raise my eyebrows as well.  
My hand was still gripping Potter's elbow since earlier on, and Potter still hadn't removed his hand from my shoulder.

It must have looked so weird. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor locked in an almost-embrace.

"Hey there, Potter," Cedric greeted Potter.  
"Cedric," Potter greeted back.

I slowly removed my hand from Potter's elbow, trying not to grab so much attention towards the action.

When my hand was finally free, Potter removed his hand as well and we both turned properly towards Cedric.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," Cedric grinned and gave me a cheeky look.

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, no, you weren't," Potter laughed, "Zia here was just telling me to be careful."  
"Was she?" Cedric looked at me, and back at Potter.

_WHY. ARE YOU JEALOUS._

"Yeah, she was, don't worry."

_DON'T WORRY WHAT? DOES POTTER ALSO THINK YOU'RE JEALOUS, CEDRIC? WELL, ARE YA? ARE YA?_

My heart fluttered happily at the thought of Cedric being jealous.

Then it died a little, after coming to the conclusion that Cedric didn't look like the type that would be jealous over a hand on an elbow and a hand on a shoulder. Hmph.

"Well, I might as well head off to the common room. Hermione and Ron must be worried sick," Potter said, and moved to take his leave, "Goodnight, Zia, Ced."

"Goodnight," both Cedric and I replied.

Then, we were left alone.  
My insides squealed happily.

_Yeeheeeeeeeeee. Alone with Cedric. Alone with Cedric. Alone with Cedric. Alone with Cedric. Alone with Cedric. Alone with Cedric._

"Hello, you," Cedric said warmly, taking a couple of steps towards me.  
"H-hi," I said almost breathlessly.

I fought the urge to giggle madly for no reason.

"So," he said.  
"So."

_Please don't die. Please don't get yourself killed._

"I'll try to get myself out of this, somehow," Cedric said lightly, as if his impending doom means nothing than a test he can easily score without studying.

"Yeah," I nodded, and quietly added, "_Please_."  
Cedric turned to look at me at that and he smiled.

"Yes, of course," Cedric said, "Wouldn't want you to get all sad."  
I laughed.  
"Oh yes, I would be so sad if the world had no Cedric."

Cedric watched me for a few seconds before looking down at the floor, smiling at his shoes.

_Why are you directing your smile towards your shoes? I'm right here._

"Come, I'll walk you back to the dungeons," he said. I nodded and followed.

"So sorry I interrupted your intimate moment with Potter," Cedric said and smiled cheekily.  
"Oh, come on," I said, "It was nothing."  
"Didn't look like nothing to me, actually," Cedric teased.  
"What, you consider a hand on his elbow and his hand on my shoulder _intimate_?" I asked.

_If that was the case, then I wonder what he would think of me suddenly jumping on him and snogging the living daylights out of him._

"It _felt_ intimate," Cedric said.  
"Huh," I scoffed, "Why, are you jealous?"

Cedric turned to me while walking, and just smiled. He said nothing and then turned his back to the front.

"I shall not dignify that question with an answer," he said good-naturedly.  
"Then I take it that you _are _jealous," I replied, telling my brain to stop squealing like a pig and my heart to stop trying to give me a stroke, hypertension or a heart attack – or all three at once which would result in me dropping dead all of a sudden or exploding, splashing blood everywhere.

Cedric said nothing, he just chuckled.

"Oh, but don't worry, I shall give you a 'be careful' hug, if it makes you feel any better," I said, feeling bold, "That way, it would be much, much better than the arm on the elbow I gave Potter earlier on, wouldn't it?"

We both stopped in our tracks, finally reaching the dungeons' entrance. I hated the universe at the time because time with Cedric always felt short.

"Hmm," Cedric brought his fingers to his chin, and he rubbed at it thoughtfully, eyes narrowing while looking at me, "It would take a lot more than a hug, Zia."

My eyes widened.

_OH REALLY. MUST I KISS YOU?_

"Oh?" Was all I said, thankfully.  
"Yeah," he replied.  
"What would you like then?"

He smiled at me and started laughing, shaking his head.

"Ah, you know what, I'm just joking," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "A hug will do fine, _perfectly_, in fact."

_WHAT. WHY? DON'T WANT KISS? I GIVE YOU KISS IF YOU WANT. _My mind yelled. I was completely aware of the fact that I sounded like a caveman in my head.

Before I was even going to contemplate suggesting a kiss, Cedric had already spread out his arms.

I naturally walked towards him and melted into his arms. As soon as his arms wrapped around me, hugging me tightly, I hugged him back with equal fervour.

_Please be safe, please be safe._

"Please be safe," I muttered quietly, deciding to tell him exactly that.  
"I will, Zia," he replied.

We let go of each other slowly, and I couldn't resist the urge to let my eyes flicker from his eyes towards his lips. And by the time I looked back into his eyes again, he was watching me with an unfathomable expression.

I swallowed, and I didn't even know why.

He leaned towards me slowly, and my breath hitched in my throat.

He was getting closer and closer, so close that his nose was going to touch mine and –

"Goodnight, Zia," he whispered, his breath gently tickling my nose – and he pulled back, smiling.

_Wha, the heck is wha?_

I think I must've left my mouth open because he lifted his finger towards my chin and pushed it up gently. I closed my mouth.

"I, erm, goodnight, Cedric," I said, "Sweet dreams."  
"You too."

_Definitely! Sweet dreams of you. Tease._

I was about to mutter the password to enter the dungeons, but I turned back towards Cedric.

"You know, you never told me what you said to Flint the other day," I said.  
"Oh," he bit his lip, and he looked down at the floor, "Later, perhaps."

My eyes narrowed at him, and he did the same thing to me playfully.

I finally gave up, shook my head and smiled, wishing him goodnight once more and disappeared into the dungeons.

_**Chapter Eighteen sneak peek:**_

"_**The Headmaster would like to see you now," Professor McGonagall said, effectively stopping me from my quest to get some dinner at the Great Hall – and see Cedric – and get some of him for dinner too, if possible.**_

"_**Me? But why?"  
"He didn't say, but it is urgent. Do make your way to the Headmaster's office now," she said firmly.**_

Teehee!  
Reviews, please!

*gives readers chicken wings*


	19. Chapter 18

Bunch o' wizards belong to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Sorry! Got caught up with reality, again - but hey, to make it up to you guys, I will post the remaining chapters until the end of the story! :) So there you go, Chapter 18, 19 and 20 one-shot! Enjoy!

**Chapter Eighteen**

The school was busy with people - the revival of the Tournament was such big news, even more so with the revelation that Harry was competing.

Rita Skeeter was seen hanging around the school lately with her photographer - as the Champions were required - or rather forced to pose for the newspapers and give interviews. Also, they were busy with the Weighing of the Wands.

I hardly ever saw Cedric these past few days and my heart was beginning to ache from his almost-constant absence. I missed him.

Oh, I am so Cedrically deprived! Woe is me!

There I was, walking, zombie-mode to one of my classes that week, feeling so malnourished ... not from food but from Cedric - when my source of nourishment and fountain of life itself, Cedric caught up with me and gave me life once more ...

The hollows of my cheeks were replaced with healthy, plump, smiling cheeks and my eyes were not blank and dead but filled with joy once more.

Ooooooh, Cedric!

"Hi, Zia," he said breathlessly, obviously after running to catch up with me. Not that I was walking fast anyway. I was probably staggering and dragging my feet, totally unmotivated.

"Hello, stranger," I beamed at him.  
"Stranger? I know I've been missing a lot lately but I'm no stranger, especially to you."

I know right?  
You are like, the love my life. But you don't know that. Or do you? Teehee!

"When's the first task?" I asked.  
"Tomorrow, after lunch."  
"Tomorrow? So soon? But - but - but I'm not ready for this!" I gasped and panicked.  
Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"I mean ... _you_ ... _you _are not ready for this?" I said, the end of my sentence sounding like a question.  
"As a matter of fact, I am," he grinned cheekily.

He put his arm around my shoulder, and I tried not to burst into flames (flames of love), or wet his hand with drool.  
Cedric told me, animatedly, about what happened to him earlier - about how Harry had ambushed him and told him that the first task was dragons.

"Good bloke, that Potter," Cedric said, "Said it wasn't fair that I didn't know while the rest did."  
"Yeah, yeah, great bloke that Potter - but Cedric, dragons? That just - I - whoa, I -"  
"I know you're worried, but don't be ... not so much, at least," he winked.  
"Confident, are we?"  
"Sometimes. You being right behind me makes it not so difficult after all," he smiled.

That's it. THAT'S IT.  
I just roasted myself because I blushed too much at that statement.

"R-right," I stammered. Roasted Zia stuffed with bullshit, anyone?  
"Listen, I've got to go ... I just came by to say hi. You will be there tomorrow, right?"  
"Always," I said with great fervour and meaning.  
"Good, see you."

With that, he gave me a quick peck on the cheek and left.

...  
... ... ... ... ...

Ooooh ...

Sssssssssss ...

It burned ... where he just kissed ...

I tried not to over-react (in example - squeal, cry, scream - all of the above) but I just couldn't -

"CONTAIN MYSELF! HOHOHO!" I shouted and laughed loudly in the hallways, causing a bunch of students to look at me in bewilderment.

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOD!  
I shall _never_ wash that side of my face, _ever._  
As unhygienic as it is - must NOT. Must PRESERVE.

That night, before I went to bed, I wished for Cedric's safety.

As always.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

At the stand the next day ...

I could barely keep still.  
I was very, very, very worried.

The Champions assembled in a tent near the arena that was built for the task.  
I caught a glimpse of Cedric, who was looking very nervous, and who - amazingly - caught sight of me and smiled before disappearing into the tent.

When it was announced that Cedric was going first, I nearly pissed myself. Against a Swedish Short-Snout at that!  
Draco and Anita had to reassure me over and over for me to calm down enough.  
I couldn't focus on anything, I was solely thinking of Cedric - worried out of my mind.

I watched as the love of my life - or rather the-love-of-my-life-but-he-doesn't-know that - use a Transfiguration spell to change a rock into a dog.

"Smart! Really smart, Cedric!" I cheered him on, along with hundreds of other twittering girls.

Eesh, die, all of you.

The dragon took the bait, of course - and Cedric went for the golden egg.  
Halfway through though, the dragon turned its attention back to Cedric! And -

"CEDRIC!" I screamed.

Cedric managed to dodge but half of his face was burnt by the dragon's flame.  
He retrieved the egg nonetheless - and passed the task.

"Holy f -" I rushed out from the stands, eager to get to him - not before telling Anita and Draco to stay and watch the show. I ran towards the tent and burst in.

"Cedric!" I called, and immediately spotted him, examining some purple shit on his still-immaculate face.

He stood up and I enveloped him in a hug.

"Thank goodness!" I said.  
"What, no 'well done'?" He grinned, eyes twinkling.  
"Well done, then," I smiled, "That was really clever though, you -"

"Out, out!" came Madam Pomfrey's voice, shooing me, "He needs to stay, and you need to go! Champions only! Off you go!"  
I wanted to kill Madam Pomfrey badly for cutting our time short.

But I shot a sad look at Cedric instead, while he winced at the ointment Pomfrey was re-applying on his face.  
I grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"Later," I said.  
"Definitely," he said and squeezed back.

I left the tent, wondering what the next tournament would be ... What's the deal with the egg ... Would it endanger Cedric? Kill him?

OH LORDY, I can't take this anymore!

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I woke up the next day for breakfast, went to class, went to lunch, went for more classes as usual.

Draco, Anita and I were on our way to dinner when McGonagall approached us at the end of a corridor, looking as happy as a bottle.

She stopped right in front of me, and I was unsure of what to do as well as resisting the urge to go, 'yo, what's up bruh?'

"The Headmaster would like to see you now," Professor McGonagall said, effectively stopping me from my quest to get some dinner at the hall - and see Cedric - and get some of him for dinner too, if possible.

"Me? But why?"  
"He didn't say, but it is urgent. Do make your way to the Headmaster's office now," she said firmly.

I nodded.  
"The password is Sherbet Lemon."

With that, she nodded and left.  
I looked at Draco and Anita, who were clearly as confused as I was.

"What did you do, Zia?" Draco asked, his gaze accusatory.  
"Oh shush, I didn't do anything!"  
"So you say! You better go, if you're late it might add to whatever bad you did that made the Headmaster summon you," Draco snickered.  
"It's probably nothing," I shrugged and waved it off, "I'll see you later. Save some dinner for me."

I walked on to the Headmaster's office, paranoid.  
Did something happen? Did something happen to Cedric? Nonsense ... why would they call me?

I muttered the password, and hopped into his office. I didn't spot Professor Dumbledore, but I was greeted by unfamiliar sights. There were four chairs parked right in front of the Headmaster's desk, all occupied save for one, which was obviously for me.

The first one was occupied by a very young blonde girl, who was smiling serenely and said, "Bonjour."  
I smiled at her and looked at the other two - Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They nodded at me, looking confused as well.

"Umm, what's going on?" I started.  
Just then, Dumbledore came out from somewhere and sat at his desk, "Good evening. Please, take a seat, Zia," he said, eyes twinkling.

I nodded and took the vacant seat.

"Before I begin to explain the nature of your visit, here, have some tea - or cake, perhaps?" Dumbledore waved and cups of tea and a plate of cakes appeared in front of the four of us.

"Oh, no, no, thank you Professor Dumbledore. I just had dinner," Granger said.

Resisting? Is she actually resisting?  
I mean, I understand the part about being full after dinner but how can one resist cake?

I snatched the tea and cake - and I found that the plate of cakes keeps replenishing! Lovely!

After a while of munching and sipping tea like the glutton I am, the French girl yawned.

"Ouh ... I don't know, but I am feeling a little sleepy," she said in her accent and immediately falls asleep.  
I didn't bother reading too much into it, I just proceeded to eat more cake and drink more tea.

MORE MORE MORE!

Soon enough, after Granger took a sip of tea out of politeness, she yawned.  
"O-oh - excuse me," she said, mid-yawn, her hand trying to cover her mouth, "But I think ..."

And she dozed off.

"'Mione?" Ron stood up with his hands filled both with tea and cake.

As soon as he took a step towards Granger, his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed onto the wooden-tiled floor, extremely hard - and now he was unconscious. And snoring.

Dumbledore chuckled, "Oh well, I reckon he'd feel the pain when he wakes up!"

What?

Why is everyone passing out?  
I was about to ask and then I felt my vision begin to blur.

"Profes -" and I let go of my tea cup, only hearing a dull 'thunk' as it hit the carpeted floor, before all went black.

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The world I entered was strange.

Greenery. Greenery everywhere. Blue skies. And there were clouds - happy clouds. Lots of them ...  
They actually had happy faces on them and they were giggling.

"Tickle me, tickle me!" they said. I shot them a bewildered look and walked on.  
I walked and walked past vast flower fields and looked up at the sky. There was a sun on the left side and somehow, this world separated at the middle, there was a distinctive line, where there were three moons on the right side.

"Now, where the fuck am I?" I muttered. My voice echoed a billion times throughout the field.

Suddenly, as if on cue, a group of pink chubby unicorns and fat teddy bears came running past me - all giggling.

They ran around me in circles, followed by a group of dancing flowers.

"Now, really, what the f -"

One of the chubby pink unicorns came forward and looked at me in the eyes.

It wasn't giggling, it wasn't high on drugs (like I probably was, to be able to conjure this world up) - in fact, it -

"Zia," the pink unicorn said.

It had the voice of Cedric.  
My jaw dropped.

"Y-yes?" I answered.  
"Zia ..."  
"Cedric?"  
"Yes ..." the pink unicorn answered, "Are you alright?"  
"Yes ... I'm alright ... but Cedric, why are you a pink unicorn? A chubby pink unicorn?"  
"What?" came the surprised voice of Cedric from the unicorn's mouth. The chubby pink unicorn threw its head back and rolled unto its back and laughed loudly - the same way my Cedric laughed.

I was going to ask Unicorn-Cedric what the big idea was, but before I could, everything started to spiral away from me - the flower fields, the stoned flowers and the drunk unicorns and teddy bears floated away ... and -

My eyes opened slowly.

"Zia," Cedric's voice called again.

Cedric's voice slowly came into focus - his beautiful, beautiful face ... not the sotted chubby pink unicorn I got acquainted with earlier. His hair, his nose, chin cheeks ... my Cedric.

"My Cedric?"  
Cedric grinned at that.

"Your Cedric indeed," he said, and he scooted closer in his chair.

That was when I realized that I was in a bed - not Cedric's, sadly - but a hospital bed, in the hospital wing. I sat up.

"Why am I ...?" I turned to Cedric, who was watching me with amusement.  
"Well ... what was the last thing you remembered?"  
"I was ..."

_Stuffing my face with tea and cake in Dumbledore's office like there was no tomorrow_, a voice in my head supplied.

"Having tea with the Headmaster," I said, ashamed of my gluttony.

"Yes well, you see, the Headmaster put something in the tea. It was like a sleeping drought. Granger, Weasley and the other Delacour girl were with you in his office, yes?"  
"Yes."  
"They - you were all needed for the second task. That was today."  
"What? Why?"  
"You all were fed with sleeping potions and were stationed deep under the lake for the second task. We needed to get you, and as soon as you reach land you were supposed to regain consciousness but you didn't. The rest did. You were still asleep, and I got really worried that maybe you were you know, dead, but Dumbledore only chuckled and said that you had too much of the stuff and it'll take longer hours for you to actually wake up."

Damn those cakes.

"So," he continued, "They sent you here, until you woke up."  
"I see," I said, "But I don't understand, why me?"

"Because ... the task, the hint from the egg said that they'd take ..." he looked down and scratched between his eyebrows and mumbled, "Somismffmoff."

"I'm sorry, what? What was that?"

He looked up and caught my eyes.

"They'd take ... someone you'd miss the most."

I blushed. Oh, really, now? HOHOHO!

"Oh."  
"Yeah," he grinned, "Turned out to be you. I must say, they're very accurate."  
"Thanks," I grinned, and looked away, "If situations were reversed, you'd be the one I'd miss the most too."

He grinned at that, eyes bright.

"Although, the chances of that ever happening is really, really low because you have to admit, my survival skills are shit, and I don't know half of the spells you know that's required to save my arse, and well, there's the factor of - mmph!"

The last word was muffled by Cedric's mouth, planted upon mine.

My heart leapt madly and my my my my - my stomach was doing cartwheels.  
His lips were soft, and warm and - everything I imagined it to be and more - better than I imagined!  
My heart was beating so hard I felt it through my eye sockets and ears and my ears, they were boiling. My whole world, everything - stopped moving.

All I could feel was my own heartbeat, and the soft breath Cedric was letting out through his nose as he applied pressure on my lips with his lips. All I could see was his lashes resting on his cheeks, and the slight tinge of pink on his cheeks - before my eyes closed.

Holy shit.

Cedric pulled back and I almost followed, but all I did was leave my mouth hanging open for all the world to see what was inside. I tried to say something, to at least calm the frantic beating of my heart but I ended up gaping like a fish.

"Ah, the Great Zia is speechless," he grinned and sat back in his chair, also blushing lightly - but not as profusely as I. I would put the colour red to shame. Or tomatoes. Or the reddest of reds - they'd turn green with jealousy.

"Yeah, well - that seldom happens," I said quickly, "I mean me, being speechless - not the kiss part - I mean! Not that I get kissed a lot, just not ah, I mean, not by you - but I didn't mean it in a way that I get kissed a lot by other guys, I'm not like that, I meant - it's just that oh God, why can't I stop talking?" I groaned and buried my head in my hands out of embarrassment, while Cedric laughed heartily.

"I can help with that," Cedric said, still laughing a little, while he took both my hands away from my face and let them rest by my sides. He gently grabbed my face (though if he were to suddenly become rough, I wouldn't mind. At all. _Not a single bit_.), and tipped his head. This time, I met him halfway and moved forwards to capture his lips.

It was all I ever wanted to do for the rest of my life.

After that _ooooh_ lingering kiss, Cedric pulled back and grinned his usual grin.  
"Tell you what," he said, "After all this is over - if I survive this last task -"  
"You will survive," I cut him off sternly.

He didn't argue but continued.

"We go out sometime? For lunch or dinner, anything?"

I smiled.

"Yes. Yes. I'd love that."

That night, I went to bed the happiest I've ever been.

Though, from all that cake, came all that sleep - therefore, I couldn't sleep even if my life depended on it. So I stayed up, smiling like an idiot at the ceiling and fantasizing about Cedric. And telling Anita about the kiss.

Her jaw dropped a million miles, before she proceeded to physically abuse me out of excitement.

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	20. Chapter 19

Bunch o' wizards belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Chapter Nineteen**

On the day of the third and final task, I woke up with an gigantic feeling of dread. I tried not to think too much about it, but it multiplied by a billion by the time Draco, Anita and I reached the stands overlooking the maze.

I didn't see Cedric today, he was impossibly busy being pushed around by teachers and the organizers, all preparing for the final task.

I wished I could have seen him, or at least given him a hug. Or tell him to retreat, right now!

Agh.  
I was in a daze throughout, even when the champions were lined up at the front of the maze.

"Oh, find the cup, if you can, but be careful. You might just lose yourself along the way," Dumbledore said.

I paled at that.  
"He'll be fine, Zia," Anita reassured me.

"I hope he returns home safely. Or rather, I hope he returns. Period," I muttered, staring at his frame down below from the stands.

Just then, as if hearing what I had just said, Cedric looked around - the same way he looked for me at the time when I was his secret admirer in class. This time though, I raised my hand and waved it frantically.

He spotted me and waved back - and after a few seconds, he took out something from his pocket, and tapped it with his wand. Something fluttered slowly towards me.

I caught it, just in time to see Cedric blow me a kiss - all the while grinning his famous grin.

And then the whistle blew, marking the start of the task. Cedric and Harry entered first, followed by Krum and Delacour.  
I looked at the envelope that I had caught, on it written 'Zia' with a handwriting that I was very familiar with.

"Hmm?" Anita poked her head over my shoulder, followed by Draco.

I ripped it open and pulled out a folded paper. I glanced at Anita and Draco - and unfolded it.

_Dear Zia,_

_You must be surprised that you received this just before I entered the maze. I can imagine your confused face right now, clear as day - and look, now you're smiling! And well, if you weren't, I'd assume you would be this time. Yes, I'm confident like that._

I let out a huff of laughter.

_Well, on to the nature of this letter. I'm not much of writer, nor much of a sap or an essayist but you were always the one sending me those notes before, and I thought that I'd return the favour.  
So here it is, my love letter to you._

_I am in love with you. _

_It took me a while to realize, but I am mad for you, crazy about you. You are all I ever think about. It's difficult for me to shut you out of my mind, though most of the time I find myself not wanting to shut you out in the first place. You're the first person I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last before I go to sleep. Most of us if not all have that defining moment in life. My moment is when I got to know you, or perhaps it was the first time I got love note from you. Or in your terms, a freaky stalker note. Whatever it is, you were involved in it. _

_You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. You are my number one person in the world._

_You are my best friend, my true love and everything good all combined into one. _

_You make me laugh, you make me happy, you make my days._

_You've had my heart for a while now and I can't even remember when I gave it.  
You leave me breathless, you're precious and you're beautiful in every way. You make me feel as if I can go stumbling into adventure after adventure - and even if things go wrong it would be okay because you are right there behind me - I know you will always be, and for that I can't thank whoever or whatever brought you to me enough. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am thankful._

_I think the world of you, I want the rest of you and I know that the best is yet to come._

_I didn't know how all of this happened, I didn't see it coming - honest! - but I don't mind it in the least bit. By the time I realized what was going on, I had fallen for you, hard at that._

_By the way, that thing you asked: about what I said to Flint. He told me to back off, but I said I didn't want to because I fancied you too._

_There you go. Maybe it's a good thing that you never heard me that day in the library, so that I'd be able to fill these papers up because like I said, I'm not really an essayist - but I wrote down what I wanted you to know, so that's okay, right?_

_Part of the reason why I wrote this was because I believe that my feelings for you shouldn't only be felt or seen or heard, but also written. That, and the fact that I know I wouldn't be seeing you before the task to be able to tell you all this. Just in case I never get the chance to, you know?_

_So that's that._

_I love you, and I always will.  
And no matter what happens between now and the future, know that someone loves you._

_Know that I will love you forever._

_To my Always,  
From your Forever._

I let out a shaky breath, trying to fight back the onslaught of tears.  
I smiled at the letter and folded it again, aware of Anita's sobbing right next to me and Draco's 'not-bad' expression.

_I love you too, _my mind echoed.

I spent the rest of the time trying to contain my emotions and watching the maze - although I couldn't see anything at all.

My heart threatened to explode twice - both when red sparks were shot upwards into the sky from the maze. Both belonged to Delacour and Krum. Which meant that only Cedric and Harry were left in there.

That annoying, disturbing feeling of dread was still haunting me and I tried to push it away.

"Come on, Cedric ... get out of there," I chanted.

_Please_.

There we were, waiting and waiting ...

Nothing.

I was gripping Cedric's letter so hard.

"You okay?" Anita asked.  
"Yeah, I'm ... I'm good," I took a deep breath.  
"You could -"

Just then right at the entrance of the maze, a blue portal appeared, and out came two bodies. One on the ground, and one crouching over it.

"VOLDEMORT'S BACK! HE'S BACK!" The crouching figure shouted - and everyone gasped, and watched with full attention as Dumbledore and the rest stood up.

It was Harry's voice - Harry was shouting.

Which meant that the other body - seemingly limp ... and lifeless ... was?

"Cedric, is Cedric -" I began.

Anita had her hand over her mouth and Draco looked pale.

***DUN DUN DUN!***


	21. Chapter 20

Bunch o' wizards belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Chapter Twenty**

"Cedric!" someone shouted in the crowds, and everybody was panicking.

I stood there, frozen as everybody scrambled out of the place.

_Cedric?_

"Zia ..." Anita started, touching my elbow.

We watched as Madam Pomfrey rushed over to Cedric's side and as Harry spoke to Dumbledore.

Time stood still, even with everybody all over the place.

"THAT'S MY BOY!" An elder man shouted as he came forward towards the entrance of the maze, "THAT'S MY BOY!"

That was Cedric's father.  
He sank down on his knees and clutched Cedric's still limp body as Madam Pomfrey struggled to check him.

After a couple of wand points and spells, everyone held their breaths.

Cedric suddenly began to cough.

The elderly man known as Amos Diggory was throwing his arms around Cedric, hugging him tight.

"You're alive! Thank God you're alive!"

"He's alive, Zia, he's alive!" Anita reassured me, grabbing my hand.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and tears I didn't know I had flowed freely down my cheeks.

"That's great. That's really great," I said, finally collapsing onto the bench.  
No one died, that's great.

Just as Cedric began to get up, everyone started surrounding him and Harry, all asking for details about what had happened.

"Whew," I said, "I'm beat. All this worrying has worn me out. Dungeons and bed, anyone?" I said.  
"Oooh, dungeons and bed, I like how kinky that sounds!" Draco agreed.  
"Don't you want to see Cedric?" Anita asked.

"Well, how?" I pointed at the bunch of people surrounding the duo, "I will be squashed to death."  
"But surely, he'd want to see you too," Anita said, "After that ... love ... _love letter_," she finished with a daze.  
Draco sent her a disgusted look and shook his head.

Just as we walked down to the exit near where the commotion was, Cedric caught sight of me.

"Zia! Zia!" He called out.

All three of us stopped in our tracks but I walked forwards towards him.  
I had so many things to say to him, how I was glad he was alive - how nothing happened, how glad I was to have him back -

But the first thing we did was to hug each other tight.  
So tight it felt like we would never be whole and complete again once we let go. And neither wanted to let go.

"I missed you," I said, squeezing my eyes shut.  
"So soon? I've only been gone for an hour," he said, and I could tell he was grinning.  
"Almost lost you, didn't I?" I asked quietly.  
"Almost," he said as quietly, "Almost, Zia."

At that I hugged him tighter, another tear rolling down my eye.

Just then flashes of light surrounded the both of us and we pulled apart - it was the newspapers.

Amos Diggory came forward and grabbed Cedric, "Come, boy! The newspapers want to know exactly what happened with you and Potter in there!"

Cedric shot me a pleading look, before he was dragged by his father to join an annoyed-looking Harry Potter.

"Later?" Cedric called out to me.  
I nodded, and whispered, "Always."

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Later that night, I was half asleep in my bed.

I was in between dreams and wakefulness. My eyes were shut and my mind was blank. I wanted to check what the time was, and wondering what Cedric was doing or where he was at the moment but I was too comfortable to reach for my wand.

I let out a long breath and snuggled further into my pillow.

Just then, I felt a presence near the foot of my bed, and light footsteps walking towards the other end of my bed. Then I felt the bed sink a little bit under some weight.

I didn't even bother opening my eyes, because for some reason, I already knew who it was.

"Cedric," I whispered.

I felt him climb into bed behind me and put his arms around me. I sighed in contentment as he kissed my cheek and settled in the pillows next to my head again. His smell, his warmth ...

"How did you get in?" I asked quietly.  
"Anita let me in," he answered, lacing his fingers with mine and stroking my hand with his thumb.

"How are you?" I asked him.  
"Tired," he said.  
"What happened in there?"

He took a deep breath.

"The cup - both of us took it at the same time. It was a Portkey. Led us somewhere else. Death Eaters were there, Voldemort ... he tried to kill me with a killing curse but I managed to dodge."

I tightened my grip on his hand as he said that.

"He tried to kill both of us actually ... I ... I thought all was lost," he said, "But I felt like I had to come back, no matter what - I kept seeing your face. Then Harry and I grabbed the other Portkey ... landed us back here. Must've hit my head pretty hard coming back though," he chuckled.  
I shook my head a little.

"Almost lost you," I repeated.  
"Almost, Zia, almost. You didn't."  
"That was why you sent me that letter, didn't you? In case you never came back?"

He kept quiet.

"But I came back," he said.  
"You did," I smiled.

"So, since my feelings have been written ... I can now let it be heard," he said.  
I grinned, "Let it be heard."

"To my Always," he whispered in my ear, "I love you. Sincerely, from your Forever."

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**TO MY ALWAYS, FROM YOUR FOREVER.**

**The End!**

**It's been an adventure writing this, and I hope you had an adventure reading it! :)**

**Reviews are love! *throws a party for readers***


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